Trot - November 2022

As you get older, you develop a much deeper appreciation for time spent with family. While miles separate us from two of our three children and family members, recently we were able to come together and celebrate at our oldest daughter’s wedding. The weekend was perfection - although it passed too quickly. On the drive home I told my husband the only gift he ever needs to give me is to bring us all together under one roof for a weekend, and my heart will be full.

As I eagerly await when we’re together again, I searched for events to keep busy and did I ever find them! These events start on page 6 as well as a feature on the Fort Smith Chorale and an opportunity to immerse yourself in a unique theater experience!

I’ll also introduce you to three incredible families. One local family whose experience with their twins in the NICU left them full of gratitude not only for the doctors and nurses, but also for the Ronald McDonald Family Room. Next, a grandfather who, thanks to the ingenuity of local college students, was finally able to hug his grandchildren eight years after experiencing a stroke. You’ll also discover how a local couple’s love of Christmas led them to fill their hearts, and land, with the Yuletide spirit year-round. And finally, Chef Nate of Second Hand Smoke and Second Helping is lifting people up one spoonful at a time. He’s sharing how doing for others changed his heart.

I am honored to feature our annual Guide to Local Nonprofits, filled with organizations in our area doing the most good. I encourage you to find out how you can get involved. You’ll also find Profiles in Healthcare and the Fort Smith Public Schools Annual Report to the Public. I am proud to shine the spotlight on local providers who provide expert care for our families and on the schools who support our children to become the best they can be.

I’m grateful you give your time to read Do South® every month to stay connected to our community! Wishing you a joyous holiday with your family, I’ll see you in December!

Catherine Frederick

Owner/Publisher/Editor catherine@dosouthmagazine.com

NOVEMBER 2022

OWNER - PUBLISHER - EDITOR

Catherine Frederick

COPY EDITING

Charity Chambers

GRAPHIC DESIGN

Artifex 323 – Jessica Meadors

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Jade Graves

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Catherine Frederick, Dwain Hebda, Chuck King, Sara Putman, Liesel Schmidt

ADVERTISING INFORMATION

Catherine Frederick I 479.782.1500 catherine@dosouthmagazine.com

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©2022 Read Chair Publishing, LLC. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in whole or in part in any manner without the permission of the copyright owner. Opinions contained in Do South® are exclusively those of the writers and do not represent those of Read Chair Publishing, LLC. as a whole or its affiliates. Any correspondence, including photography, becomes the property of Read Chair Publishing, LLC. Do South® reserves the right to edit content and images. Printed in the U.S.A. | ISSN 2373-1893

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NOVEMBER EVENTS

Now - December 9

UAFS GALLERY OF ART AND DESIGN PRESENTS RON JUDE: 12HZ Windgate Art & Design, Fort Smith, Arkansas

November 1

SEASON OF ENTERTAINMENT PRESENTS RUNES & FOLKTALES

ArcBest Performing Arts Center, Fort Smith, Arkansas

November 2

GRETA VAN FLEET DREAMS IN GOLD TOUR

Simmons Bank Arena, North Little Rock, Arkansas

November 4

RIVER VALLEY RUN HALF MARATHON, 10K & 5K River Valley FCA, Fort Smith, Arkansas

November 4 - 7

HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE

The Shops at Brick City, Fort Smith, Arkansas

November 4

AKIB'ART PRESENTS

FALL FASHION SHOW

Downtown Fort Smith, Arkansas

November 4-5

SESAME STREET LIVE! MAKE YOUR MAGIC 2022 Simmons Bank Arena, North Little Rock, Arkansas

November 4 - 26 HOLIDAY SALE

Central Mall, Fort Smith, Arkansas

November 5 FCA RIVER VALLEY RUN The Bakery District, Fort Smith, Arkansas

November 5 12TH ANNUAL RED SHOE SHINDIG Wyndham Fort Smith City Center

November 5

ARKANSAS COLLEGES OF HEALTH EDUCATION CELEBRATION GARDEN & WELLNESS PARK DEDICATION Barling, Arkansas

November 5-6

HOLIDAY BAZAAR

American Legion Auxiliary Unit 31, Fort Smith, Arkansas

November 10

GIRLS NIGHT OUT

The Shops at Brick City, Fort Smith, Arkansas

November 10 - 19

FORT SMITH LITTLE THEATRE PRESENTS COFFEE SHOP

Fort Smith, Arkansas

November 11

ZACH WILLIAMS FALL 22 TOUR

Simmons Bank Arena, North Little Rock, Arkansas

November 11 FEE FREE DAY

Fort Smith National Historic Site

November 12

FAMILY LITERACY EVENT

Literacy Council of Western Arkansas Fort Smith, Arkansas

November 12

BLACK MARKET: NIGHT ARTISAN MARKET

Downtown, Fort Smith, Arkansas

November 12

2022 VETERANS DAY PARADE

Chaffee Crossing Historic District, Barling, Arkansas

November

PATTI LABELLE & GLADYS KNIGHTA FRIENDSGIVING EVENT

Simmons Bank Arena, North Little Rock, Arkansas Fort Smith, Arkansas

November

UAFS SEASON OF ENTERTAINMENT

JAZZ CATZ CONCERT

East Side Baptist Church, Fort Smith, Arkansas

November

THE CALL OPEN HOUSE

Fort Smith, Arkansas

November

TRACY LAWRENCE

Temple Live, Fort Smith, Arkansas

November 17

UAFS SEASON OF ENTERTAINMENT

JAZZ BAND CONCERT ArcBest Performing Arts Center, Fort Smith, Arkansas

November 25 - 27

THE NUTCRACKER BALLET

Walton Arts Center, Fayetteville, Arkansas

November 27

AKIB-ART PRESENTS A TRADITIONAL AFRICAN DINNER

Downtown Fort Smith, Arkansas

November 27

EAGLES HOTEL CALIFORNIA 2022 TOUR

November 17

UAFS BASKETBALL VS. UNIVERSITY OF THE OZARKS UAFS Stubblefield Center, November 23

UAFS BASKETBALL VS. NORTHEASTERN STATE UNIVERSITY UAFS Stubblefield Center, November 25

UAFS BASKETBALL VS. HARDING UNIVERSITY UAFS Stubblefield Center,

Simmons Bank Arena, North Little Rock, Arkansas

November 29

A CONVERSATION WITH FRAN LEBOWITZ

Walton Arts Center, Fayetteville, Arkansas Saturdays in November RAM SATURDAYS

Fort Smith Regional Art Museum

REGIONAL LIBRARY EVENTS AT DOSOUTHMAGAZINE.COM

The Spirit of Christmas

Fill your heart, and your calendar with holiday spirit this season. Enjoy shopping, holiday concerts, tree lightings, ice skating and much more! Visit DoSouthMagazine.com for event details.

FORT SMITH

Arkansas River Holiday Market: Kay Rodgers Park, November 5

Festival of Trees: The Bakery District, November 15-28

Mannheim Steamroller: Fort Smith Convention Center, November 23

Ice Skating Rink: Downtown Fort Smith, November 25

Christmas Tree Lighting: Fort Smith Ross Pendergraft Park, November 26, 5pm

Small Business Saturday: Downtown Fort Smith, November 26

UAFS Season of Entertainment Season’s Greetings Concert: ArcBest Performing Arts Center, November 29

Fort Smith Chorale Christmas Concert: First United Methodist Church, December 1, 7:30pm

Christmas Honors Wreath Event: Fort Smith National Cemetery, December 3

Fort Smith Symphony Presents The Joy of Christmas: ArcBest Performing Arts Center, December 3

UAFS Season of Entertainment Presents The Christmas Gift: UAFS Breedlove Auditorium, December 6 & 8

Western Arkansas Ballet Presents Sugarland Fairy Tea: The Riverfront Pavilion, December 4, 1pm & 3pm

Christmas Parade: Downtown Fort Smith, December 10, 3pm

Western Arkansas Ballet Presents The Nutcracker: ArcBest Performing Arts Center, December 17 & 18

VAN BUREN

Holiday Open House: November 11-12

Christmas in the Parks: November 18 – January 1

Ice Skating Rink: December 2 – January 1

Holiday Express Pajama Train: December 2-7

Community School of the Arts Presents Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer : King Opera House, December 8-10

GREENWOOD

The Trail of Lights at Bell Park: November 25 – Christmas Eve

Christmas Parade: December 5, 5:30pm

Yule Run 5K: December 10, 9am

In Perfect Harmony

FORT SMITH CHORALE

OOn November 22, 1981, thirty-five angelic voices sang out during the first performance of the Fort Smith Chorale at First Baptist Church in Fort Smith, Arkansas. Since that day, the Chorale has grown to over seventy members and has presented more than seventy-two concerts, including performances at Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall and the American Choral Directors Association Convention. In addition to traditional Christmas and spring concerts, the Chorale has performed on several occasions with the Fort Smith Symphony and in other communities throughout Arkansas.

Over the years, major works by Bach, Haydn, Mozart, Handel, Britten, Mendelssohn, and Brahms have been presented and the Chorale has produced ten concert recordings. Under Music Director William M. Cromer’s leadership, accompanist Gaye Mings, and the commitment of area volunteer singers, the Fort Smith Chorale is proud to be entering its 33rd season.

This year’s Christmas concert Welcome Christmas is scheduled for December 1, 7:30pm, at First United Methodist Church in Fort Smith. Selections include “Joy to the World,”

“O Holy Night,” “White Christmas,” “First Noel,” “Carol of the Bells,” “What Sweeter Music,” and a delightful performance of “Ding! Dong! Merrily on High.” Two songs new to the Chorale will also be performed, the spirited “Brightest and Best” and the enchanting “See Amid the Winter’s Snow.”

Their spring concert Earth and Sky is scheduled for April 20, 2023 and features two new compositions for the Chorale. “Across the Vast Eternal Sky,” is mysterious and flows much like the soundtrack of a romantic movie. “I Thank You God for This Most Amazing Day,” is a selection that passes from ethereal, to dramatic, to peaceful in mood and character. “Saints Bound for Heaven,” “The Heavens are Telling,” and “Ride On King Jesus,” will provide variety and energy to the evening. The Chorale also looks forward to sharing the dramatic “The Awakening” and the well-beloved “Alleluia.”

Beyond the Curtain

NEW IMMERSIVE THEATER EXPERIENCE IN CHESTER, ARKANSAS

WORDs and images courtesy Chuck King

Bedlam at the Beard and Lady Cast

When Charles Dickens published his now-famous novella A Christmas Carol in 1843, the infant state of Arkansas was still crawling on all fours out of the muchunsettled frontier woodlands. Just a decade or so before, some 60,000 Native Americans and other displaced persons passed through these parts on the Trail of Tears, making their way westward to Indian Territory. Looming on the horizon, the storm clouds of the Civil War were gathering, at its heart, the issue of slavery. Across the sea, Dickens intended A Christmas Carol to be his own critical commentary of the social ills of Victorian England, specifically the cruelty and injustices of child labor aggravated by the Industrial Revolution. He could not have imagined this short tale of a miserly old humbug’s redemption would become arguably his most celebrated work, defining in many ways how we Americans celebrate Christmas. (Thank you, Mr. Scrooge, for purchasing that prize turkey for the Cratchit family!)

Fast forward to spring 2022. Writer Chuck King was invited by Kendee Hughes of Kendee Hughes Productions to visit the newly renovated inn and general store in Chester, the Beard and Lady. Kendee and her cousin Lacey Hendrix, the new owner of the Beard and Lady, had an idea… what if this almost-forgotten structure, once the hub of the Chester hamlet, could host site-specific, immersive theater experiences – say, a murder mystery , for example?

Place serves as one of the strongest pools from which Chuck likes to draw his creative inspiration. His thirteen years as a resident of Israel were the springboard for several faithbased stage and film scripts produced by Legacy Media, based in Colorado Springs. These include a sweeping production of the history of Israel, stage, and film versions of the stories of Simon Peter, King David, and Queen Esther, and a complete rewrite of The Promise , an epic musical of the life of Christ staged annually in Glen Rose, Texas.

It would follow then, that when Chuck relocated his family to the River Valley in 2009, he became fascinated with the local history—and landscape—of Fort Smith and Van Buren.

“One of my friends in Jerusalem knew about the connection with Van Buren and the 19th century Jewish educator Cyrus Adler,” says Chuck. “He introduced me to the King Opera House before we even made the move. Once I stepped into that beautiful place, I was hooked. I had to learn everything about it.”

That fascination eventually led to a regional Emmy win for the short film, Step into: the King Opera House , and then another Emmy for Chuck’s docudrama script themed around the infamous Fort Smith bordello and named for its proprietor Laura Ziegler; both aired on the Arkansas Educational Television Network.

But what about the Beard and Lady? What stories could it possibly afford Chuck that would lend themselves to the cousin’s vision of attracting new visitors to Chester? "Since Lacey grew up in the area, she is well versed on the history of Chester and the inn," Chuck shared. "She told me about the family who owned the hotel at the turn of the century, and of a daughter named Kate who was famous for her pies. But the story goes that Kate had a naughty sister who got too friendly with the menfolk upstairs. Kate had to use her rolling pin as a deterrent.

"That little tidbit was enough to get my creative juices flowing. Besides that, Lacey and her husband Lance have transformed the old building into a work of art. Just being in the space is inspiring for me. Like Miss Laura's or the Opera House, it has its own story to tell."

Naturally, Kate and her floozy sister have made their way into the pages of Chuck's first murder mystery offering at the inn: Bedlam at the Beard and Lady . But this experience is not based on a serious plot or intrigue.

"There is a murder story and a series of clues to follow," explains Chuck, "but this is more than a Clue-like board game experience. Bedlam is an interactive comedic romp which moves the guests around the hotel and apothecary shop. You'll meet some famous characters from Arkansas history—Belle Starr and Jesse James will make an appearance, but they are not to be taken too seriously. It's more about the laughs and good times to be had along the way while solving the crime. It's campy, a little bit naughty, and a whole lot of fun."

Since Chuck serves as the full-time director of the Skokos Performing Arts Center in Alma, the director's chair for the production has been filled by Chuck's daughter Jessye Wooten. After a four-year stint as a company member of the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center, Jessye returned to Arkansas to continue in her career. By her own right, she's done stage, film and commercial work in California, Colorado, and Arkansas. She has directed for the Young Actors Guild, but this is her first gig directing an all-adult cast.

“Collaborating with my dad feels effortless and natural, it’s truly been a blast! We have different levels of expertise and working together has given us the freedom to play to our strengths and really bring the vision to life. We couldn’t do it without the incredible ensemble of local actors we’ve assembled! Their ambition and talent speaks for itself, I hope the community is as excited to experience this production as much as they’re excited to share it.“

But what the dickens has all of this got to do with Ebenezer Scrooge and A Christmas Carol? "All I can tell you is that during that first spring visit to the inn, the story just unfolded before me as we moved from room to room – I could see it

from scene to scene. I started to imagine, ‘What if Ebenezer Scrooge lived in Chester rather than London? What if he was the owner of the general store and hotel? How would this affect the telling of the story in an exciting new way?’ And that's how I came to write An Ozark ‘What the Dickens?!’ Christmas . All the characters you know and love will be there, they just won't speak with British accents...they will sound more like our Ozark Mountains kinfolk!"

Chuck has assembled quite a team to pull off the immersive experience, including Steven Sellers, Audra and Shane Bocksnick, and Marti Salisbury, who each appear in the cast and oversee certain elements of the show. Dane Masden leads the cast as the mean spirited but loveable Scrooge. The production is being presented by the Alma Education and Arts Foundation as part of its professional show season.

Meanwhile, plans are already underway for a new script to be produced in historic downtown Van Buren in spring 2023, but Chuck seems unwilling to share too much about it. "It will be set in Van Buren during the 1920's Prohibition era, and it will definitely take on a darker, more sinister tone than Bedlam There's some almost forgotten local lore that the story will be built on. I just can't seem to get away from the history piece... you know, 'if these walls could talk'...that's what I love to do – make the walls talk."

BEDLAM AT THE BEARD AND LADY runs now through December 31.

For tickets: the 6ftclimb.com

AN OZARK "WHAT THE DICKENS?!" CHRISTMAS runs December 9-18. For information: skokospac.org

Chuck King and Jessye Wooten

The Wild Robot

by Peter Brown

This middle grade novel is all heart! Set in the wilderness, Roz the robot finds herself in the midst of the natural world, having to learn to be more animal than robot in order to survive. Obstacle after obstacle offers Roz an opportunity to learn and grow. This book asks readers to consider ways technology and nature can coexist as well as the role of nurturers to our own survival.

Now is Not the Time to Panic by Kevin Wilson

Wilson takes us on a stroll down nostalgia boulevard in his newest ode to Southern misfits. Franki and Zeke are forlorn teenagers who meet on summer vacation. Together, they create something that not only changes each of their lives, but also makes a drastic mark on their community. This remarkable journey about finding yourself and letting go will strike a chord with any generation.

Enjoy these four must-read books from our friends at Bookish, Fort Smith, Arkansas’s only independently owned bookstore.

Hester by Laurie Lico Albanese

Signal Fires by Dani Shapiro

You may think you know the story of Hester Prynne and The Scarlet Letter, but Albanese’s newest work of historical fiction is here to fill in all the gaps. We meet Isobel, an expert in her field of embroidery who finds love with a bright young writer, Nathaniel Hawthorne. Hester is a tale of ambition that examines the root of female power and its role in patriarchal art and culture.

Shapiro returns to fiction for the first time in fifteen years and we instantly remember why it launched her career. A novel about families and their secrets, Signal Fires takes us from a summer accident in 1985 to a present time when everyone seemingly has moved on. It uses the relationship between a retired doctor and a remarkable young boy to illuminate the connections between us all.

November Recommendations

courtesy Sara Putman, Bookish

Do South ® Cares

words Catherine Frederick with Marian Conrad, Executive Director, Project Compassion

DS: What is Project Compassion?

We are a local nonprofit organization formed in 1972 by the late Gloria White. She was a nurse and was astonished to find most residents in nursing homes here had no family or friends visiting them. She led a small group of volunteers to begin visiting residents in two local nursing homes. Her vision was to mitigate the loneliness factor by making sure that each resident had a volunteer to befriend them and visit them on a regular basis so that they would not feel invisible, 2022 marks our 50th year! We have stayed true to the mission and Gloria’s vision while increasing the unique programs we provide. We now serve over 2,500 residents in 26 facilities.

DS: How has the need for your programs changed/evolved?

As our population ages, and life expectancies increase, elderly citizens become more dependent on others to meet their basic physical and social needs. Many have very limited resources and they are separated by distance or circumstance from friends and family. In addition, as we are a mobile 24/7 society, those who do have loved ones nearby may only get visits a few times in a year. Our volunteers bridge the gap and make sure that their resident can count on them to return for regular visits.

The mission of Project Compassion is to bring joy, companionship, and enhanced quality of life to residents in long-term care and senior living facilities. Do South ® reached out to Marian Conrad, Executive Director, to learn more.

During the pandemic, we pivoted our programs to serve residents with telephone and video calls, window visits, cards, and special surprises that we could drop at the facility. We collaborated with home health agencies, hospitals, schools, civic organizations, and churches to help coordinate efforts in our communities. Thankfully, we have returned to face-to-face visits and relaunched our programs to the delight of our residents, volunteers, and facility staff. We all celebrate a world we used to take for granted.

DS: What is something we may not know about Project Compassion?

1205 S. Albert Pike Avenue Fort Smith, Arkansas 72903 479.783.2273 projectcompassioninc.com

We have a group of volunteers called “Fidgeteers” who sew fidget quilts to engage and comfort residents who suffer from various forms of dementia. These quilts feature touch-sensory fabrics and embellishments to enhance dexterity, mental stimulation, and relieve anxiety. Bright colors and photos add to the appeal of each design created. Zippers, buckles, lacing, snaps, chenille and small fabric “stress” bears redirect behavior and focus attention in a positive way.

DS: How can the community get involved?

Next month, we’ll showcase another worthy nonprofit in our area free of charge. We will accept requests for this free page beginning in October, 2023. Send questions to catherine@dosouthmagazine.com.

Our volunteers are intergenerational and come from throughout the River Valley and Eastern Oklahoma. There are opportunities to help with events, special programs, and holidays. Check our website for the Hearts of Gold event, our Eric Stein 5K, and our 50th Anniversary wrap-up celebration. To volunteer, donate, and find out more on these events, call or visit us online.

Kaston enjoys all sports and loves playing basketball. He also likes the great outdoors and loves to explore. Like most kids, he likes video games, namely Nintendo Switch! Similar to many children in foster care, Kaston has experienced trauma in his life, and because of it he struggles with controlling his emotions. Kaston also lives with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), so school can be a challenge, but he does have medications to help ease the struggle. For these reasons, Kaston would do best in a two-parent household with a strong father figure. He deserves a family that can pay him a lot of attention and be patient with him, which may work best in a family with few or no other children. Could your family be the one to make a difference in Kaston’s life?

Submit an inquiry on the Heart Gallery at theprojectzero.org to find out more.

In partnership with Project Zero and the Arkansas Heart Gallery, each month Do South® will feature a waiting child, or sibling group, in foster care in Arkansas. To inquire about these incredible children, please visit theprojectzero.org.

IMAGE courtesy Jon Yoder Photography

FEVER... Facts & Fiction

WORDS Dr. Kendall Wagner, Chaffee Crossing Clinic Image Asada Nami/Shutterstock

BBy medical definition, fever is defined as temperature greater than 100.4 ˚ . While there may be slight variation in an individual’s normal body temperature, this definition of fever is universally accepted by most medical professionals. It is important to note that fever in itself is not an illness but a beneficial reaction of the body usually in response to an infection. The rising body temperature decreases the ability of the infection, virus, or bacteria, to complete its normal function, and it improves the body’s inflammatory process to help clear the infection and prepare the body for healing. While it is true that fever may result in discomfort and a slight increased risk of dehydration; most fevers are limited in duration, harmless, and studies indicate may be beneficial in accelerating recovery. Despite the physiological origin and benefits of fever, it remains misunderstood and a subject of concern for patients and those with children, so let’s compare the fiction and facts.

Fiction: Fever is an indication of severe illness. Fact: Anything that triggers the body’s immune system may result in a fever. In pediatric patients, viral illnesses often result in significant elevation in temperature. It is not uncommon for a patient with a cold-like illness to experience a temperature of 104 ˚ in the first 24 hours of the illness. Teething infants may have a temperature from 99-101 ˚ .

While your child’s physician may use the level of fever in determining the illness cause and treatment, the degree of fever is not directly related to the illness severity. In addition to the level of fever, illness duration and symptoms are all important in identifying its origin. Viral illnesses usually result in fever for 48-72 hours, longer durations justify evaluation by a physician, but may still be self-limited.

Fiction: Fever can result in brain damage. Fact: Multiple studies indicated children with fever are not at increased risk of brain damage. Fever is a process that is regulated and controlled. In contrast, hyperthermia is a rare condition that results in the inability to control elevated external temperature.

Fiction: High fever results in seizures. Fact: Febrile seizures may occur with fever. However, they are not directly related to the level of fever but are more directly related to how rapidly the temperature rises. Simple febrile seizures occur most commonly in pediatric patients ages 15 months - 5 years of age and are not associated with seizure disorders. Febrile seizures outside of this age group should prompt evaluation by a physician for an underlying neurological process.

Fiction: Treatment of fever should result in “normal” temperature during illness. Fact: The goal of treating a fever should be increased comfort for the individual. Adults and children usually do not feel well during a fever and so Tylenol and Motrin can help with discomfort. Cool liquids, compresses, and adequate airflow may improve comfort as well. It is important to remember the physiologic and beneficial effects of fever as it relates to combating the infection. Remember, fever is a response to the illness and not the illness.

TREATING A FEVER

Non-medical measures should be undertaken first. Cool cotton clothing improves airflow and temperature regulation. Chilled liquids help bring soothing relief to the throat and may help lower the body temperature. Cool compresses also help dissipate heat at the skin’s surface. Overuse of Tylenol and Motrin may inhibit recovery from illness. In my practice, I recommend treating the patient and not the number. In a playful happy child with a temperature of 102 ˚ , cool clothing and liquids may be all that is necessary. However, if a child is fussy or uncomfortable, medication treatment may be considered. With febrile seizures, when attempting to prevent the rapid rise of fever, providers may employ the early use of fever-reducing medications. These special circumstances should always be discussed with your or your child’s physician.

MEASURING TEMPERATURE

While skin surface temperature can provide an estimate of body temperature, factors such as environmental temperature, sweating, or the presence of an ear infection can all affect the reading. Rectal temperature remains the gold standard for temperature evaluation in pediatric patients under 2 years of age. Oral temperatures are standardly used for evaluation of fever in children 3+ through adulthood. Keep in mind, the presence of fever may be an indication of a contagious illness and treatment should never be used to mask a temperature for returning to daycare, school, or work as it only serves to spread infection.

Kendall Wagner, M.D. is a regular healthcare contributor to Do South® Magazine.

Chaffee Crossing Clinic

Roberts Boulevard, Fort Smith, Arkansas 479.242.5910

chaffeecrossingclinic.com

An Oasis in the Desert

There are hints, there are signs and then there are meteors that fall from the sky and hit you right between the eyes. Take for example, how Eddie and Katie Vansell of Van Buren first met.

“There used to be this thing called Bridal Fest at the convention center,” Eddie says. “I was a freshman in college, and she was a senior in high school and we were both modeling tuxes and wedding gowns.”

“Yeah, I met my husband while wearing a wedding dress,” says Katie and the two disintegrate into laughter.

Laughter in the Vansell home mixes into a calliope of other sound and motion. Married in 2009, the couple has welcomed four children over the years, including Lilla, age eleven; Willa, age eight and four-year-old fraternal twins Margaret and Ezra, all four of whom lend their substantial voices and energy to the soundtrack of daily life.

WORDs Dwain Hebda

images courtesy Eddie and Katie Vansell

The Vansell Family

The frantic pace and chaos are almost enough to make the couple forget just how close they came to tragedy, as the twins insisted on entering the world well ahead of schedule.

“It was a little exciting and nerve wracking to find out that I was having twins,” Katie says. “It was different than my single pregnancies. Both of my girls arrived at term at a good weight and were healthy, no problems. You always kind of expect something to happen with twins because it’s just such a highrisk situation.”

“Katie went into preterm labor at thirty-two weeks,” Eddie says. “That was a very hopeful time and extremely trying time as well. Days feel like weeks and moments feel like hours. What little control you think that you have in life is completely lost. It’s times like those where you’re required to exhale and trust those around you and cling to prayers and the support from family members that you’re given.”

Doctors managed to delay the twins’ birth for three more crucial weeks, allowing the babies more time to develop. But when the magical day arrived right after Thanksgiving 2018, there was no doubt that the time had come.

“We joke around a lot; we refer to them as our Black Friday two-for-one deal,” Eddie says. “I was actually in line at a local hardware store at five a.m. and I got a call from Katie and she’s

like, ‘It’s go time.’ By the third pregnancy, you know what that means.” Ezra and Margaret entered the world via emergency C-section. Combined, they weighed just over ten pounds. Though small, both were spunky and raucous even in delivery –Eddie recalls Margaret as “super tiny, feisty and beautiful,” and Ezra as “loud; this kid came out like a freight train.”

But through the surreal joy of doubling their family in one fell swoop, the cold reality of the situation crept in almost immediately. Eddie noticed Ezra wheezing and watched in horror as his skin color changed to a deep blue. Nurses swooped in, whisking the babies to the NICU, the start of two months of on-and-off medical treatment, the first two weeks being the most critical.

“At birth, they both had low blood oxygen because they had underdeveloped lungs, which is common in preterm twins,” Eddie says. “Margaret was just really small; she was unable to keep her weight. Ezra was dealing with a couple of different things; he had a pneumothorax, which is a collapsed lung, pneumonia and jaundice. He was in isolation so he was unable to be held and loved as a newborn baby should be.

“I’m convinced that that is one of the hardest things that you could ever have to endure in life as a parent, watching your child cry in isolation with what seems like countless tubes and wires coming in and out of them. You’re unable to hold them

or embrace them and provide that support and comfort that you want to give.”

The couple may have been in unfamiliar territory with their new additions, but one thing was very clear – as long as the kids were in the hospital, one or both of the parents would be there, too.

“We weren’t sure how we were going to manage it all with Eddie’s work and caring for our older children,” Katie remembers. “The situation was such a crushing weight we were literally in shock and trying to process all of the things at once. My only response was, ‘I have to be with the babies. I’ll sleep in the car if I have to.’

“I’m not sure if she heard our desperation or what, but the NICU nurse who came in to comfort us suggested we visit the Ronald McDonald Family Room.”

An offering of the Ronald McDonald House Charities Arkoma, the family room located inside Mercy Hospital is a place of respite for parents of sick children. Built in 2010, the 3,200-square-foot, four-bedroom facility supports both daytime and overnight guests, offering communal sitting areas, a dining room, fully stocked kitchen and laundry. Since opening, the Ronald McDonald Family Room has served nearly 4,000 children and families from Arkansas and Oklahoma, all at no charge.

For the Vansells, who previously knew little if anything about the mission of Ronald McDonald House Charities, the Family Room was a godsend.

“It was like an oasis in the desert,” Eddie says. “We were literally about to be overwhelmed and here this was. They treated us like family. Many of them we consider family today. It was a place where Katie could be close by, you didn’t have to think about what you were going to eat. We had ways to wash our clothes and clean ourselves. It is just priceless during that time and situation.”

In 2021, the organization opened a stand-alone, elevenbedroom Ronald McDonald House to serve even more families. The Vansells have been active in their support of the organization, never forgetting the welcoming port it provided in a dark and stormy chapter of their family history.

In addition to regular giving, the family participates in a share a meal program to feed families staying in the Family Room, volunteerism that’s made an impression on the couple’s older children. Lilla organized a volunteer project for Ronald McDonald House through her Girl Scout troop, an effort that earned her the highest award possible for her level of scouting.

In addition to hundreds of volunteer hours and in-kind and monetary donations, Ronald McDonald House Charities Arkoma runs on the proceeds from three major fundraising events during the year. These include the Red Shoe Soiree in the spring, Golf 4 A Cause in summertime and the fall Red Shoe Shindig, this year slated for Saturday, November 5 at the Wyndham Fort Smith City Center. Proceeds from these events help continue the organization’s mission to house and support families of sick children just like the Vansells.

Looking back, in the few and far between quieter moments of their hectic, happy lives, Eddie and Katie still feel an enormous sense of gratitude for the organization’s efforts in their time of need.

“It makes a huge difference for an organization to take care of the parents who are in the hospital with their kids,” Katie says. “Ronald McDonald House is doing more than just keeping families close by; it’s also supporting the families who are there. It’s really the worst thing for a mother to see her child sick. The thing that you want to do the most in that situation is be there for your child. Ronald McDonald House Charities helps facilitate that.”

Plan to attend the 12th Annual Red Shoe Shindig, presented by Mercy, McDonald’s and Tyson!

Saturday, November 5, 2022 | 6pm – 11pm Wyndham Fort Smith City Center – 700 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith, AR

For tickets, visit rmhcofarkoma.org, contact Emily Presley at emily@rmhcofarkoma.org, or call 479.756.5600.

2022 PROFILES in HEALTH CARE

SPECIAL FEATURE PRESENTED BY

WORDS Dwain Hebda and Catherine Frederick some interviews have been edited for length and clarity

Do South® Magazine is proud to recognize the expertise and contributions of select healthcare providers in our community. They set the bar for excellence with their professionalism and quality of service, and they are committed to providing the very best for those in their care.

Arkansas Pediatric Therapy

For two decades, Arkansas Pediatric Therapy has treated every client with the care, expertise and compassion of a valued family member. Kim Hunter and Francee Doolittle, co-owners, rely on their professional training to achieve the best therapeutic results in a comfortable, nurturing environment.

“The children we treat may have diagnoses such as premature birth, developmental delay, speech delay, cerebral palsy, Down syndrome, autism, sensory processing deficits and the list goes on,” Kim says. “We also treat kids with orthopedic injuries or post-surgeries.”

Fast friends since college, Kim and Francee both hold masters degrees in physical therapy. At the time they opened the business in Van Buren, the two moms-of-four initially offered only physical therapy, adding speech and occupational therapy services in 2003. Since then, the practice was moved twice in Van Buren to accommodate growth. In 2016, a second location was opened in Fort Smith to better serve families.

Through all of the growth and change, one thing has remained a constant – the duo’s goal to provide the highest-quality therapeutic services possible. “Our standards of care are high,” Kim says. “We expect a lot out of ourselves and our therapists. We aren’t just the owners, we are therapists too, working together as a team to provide the most effective therapy.

“As a result, we have built a great practice with a wonderful staff who provide exceptional care. They truly understand that the family, the parents, are important partners in the care of the child.” Today, twenty-five staffers offer a variety of physical, occupational and speech therapies for children as well as serve as a resource for parents trying to navigate the sometimesconfusing health care marketplace.

“We are a source of referral,” Kim says. “We may recommend parents take their child to specialists such as physicians at Arkansas Children’s Hospital who can make more definitive diagnoses and provide specialized testing. Oftentimes, parents leave our clinic with a sense of relief and a better game plan to help their child succeed. We support them every step of the way.”

Baptist Health Endocrinology Clinic

Helping patients deal with some of the most common yet lifealtering conditions is the role of Baptist Health Endocrinology. Endocrinology focuses on human hormones and diseases such as diabetes and thyroid conditions.

Dr. Siva Kumar Kasina, the clinic’s endocrinologist, says having such a practice locally is of great benefit to Fort Smith and surrounding communities.

“Obviously endocrinology is a difficult field in terms of diagnosis and management of conditions,” he says. “It requires a lot of patience and expertise that we provide to the patients.

"I am well versed with the latest technologies, especially in terms of diagnosis of diabetes and management of it, to help patients take care of their health and still enjoy life.”

The clinic’s affiliation with Baptist Health is another advantage, Siva says, as it helps eliminate gaps in communication and

treatment among various departments, thus serving the whole patient. This is especially true for a new health care provider such as himself to get acclimated to available resources.

“One of the advantages I have at Baptist is the set up,” he says. “Even though I am a new endocrinologist, the set up here puts all other department resources in place, such as primary care, radiology or surgery, for example. The only thing I need to do is ask and I know I’ll get access to the resources.”

Another thing that sets the clinic apart is its customer serviceforward mindset that helps ease and comfort patients going through diagnosis and treatment. “Going to the doctor is not an easy thing,” Siva says. “No one wants to go to the doctor, but they’re trusting you with their care and they want you to help them manage their disease. A human touch is what it takes to keep them coming back to your clinic.

“We make sure every patient is not only cared for but respected from the front desk who greets them to the nurses who check their vitals and on to the doctor who is treating them.”

Healing Tree Women’s Counseling Center

Healing Tree Women’s Counseling Center, one of the most unique and respected counseling practices in the area, has recently expanded its space and staff to build on the premise of providing access to help for all who seek it.

“Demand for services continues to grow in the wake of COVID,” says Melanie Taylor, who founded the practice. “It’s been enormous. In fact, trying to find therapists right now is very difficult for all private practices, not just us. There aren’t enough therapists to meet the need.” Melanie admits any pool of candidates is quickly thinned by her high standards, but she isn’t about to cut corners on the quality of counseling patients receive.

“I’m looking for therapists who are not only skilled in providing therapeutic services but have also done enough of their own work,” she says. “I also want someone who invests in training above and beyond grad school; somebody who is excited and somebody who wants to specialize in something.”

Melanie says each of Healing Tree’s therapists has a specialty that speaks to their passion and professional strengths and all regularly engage in continuing education. Her team is trained in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), a therapy model that has been proven to be highly effective for those who have experienced trauma.

“We can only take our clients as far as we have gone, so each of my therapists has a specialty where they thrive and where they love helping and healing and working with clients,” she says. “Being trained in EMDR is an example of giving our people the latest tools and techniques they need to serve patients to the fullest.

“The thing I still love about this business is, it’s life changing. Somebody comes in for the first time and they’re covered in what we call emotional wounds, trauma after trauma after trauma. We get to work with those women to help them heal and start to discover, and fall in love with, who they are underneath the wounds they’ve been carrying. You can’t put a price on that.”

Passmore Plastic Surgery

Successful cosmetic surgery relies on the successful interplay of highly skilled surgical technique, the latest in technology, and a caring, compassionate environment. Achieving this balance takes years of training and experience, not to mention continued investment in tools, support personnel and ongoing training.

Dr. Ann Passmore, founder of Passmore Plastic Surgery, wouldn’t have it any other way.

“We offer patients a multi-level plan to achieve the result they are looking for,” Ann says. “Cosmetic surgery isn’t just manipulating superficial skin texture. It’s at the surface, it’s deeper than the surface and it’s in between. We offer all sorts of tools to be able to manage that.”

New technologies, such as state-of-the-art microneedling, enhances the skill of the surgeon by allowing them to do their work with more precision while minimizing as much as possible the discomfort and downtime of the patient. In some instances, Passmore Plastic Surgery has access to equipment that others don’t, thanks to the longevity and proven track record of the practice.

“Many times, these devices aren’t available to just anyone,” she says. “The manufacturer isn’t going to sell to someone who is not board certified, for example. You have to have certain qualifications before they will talk to you.

“There’s an ongoing commitment to training you have to have as well. Manufacturers expect you to take in-service training where individuals from their company come in and train at the office to ensure you have the correct technique and everything is set appropriately for the device. And, of course, I welcome that because as the practitioner, I want to make sure I understand the device and how it works.”

At the same time, technology is only as good as the person who operates it. Ann says the difference in her practice lies in the space where high tech meets high touch, where her years of surgical experience and depth of expertise are augmented by technology, not replaced by it.

“There are a lot of practices out there where they know how to turn on a machine but may not fully understand exactly what’s going on during the procedure,” she says. “You have to be able to adjust and adapt the technology for the procedure to be a success and that only comes with experience.

“This is not only essential to the final outcome, but also affects recovery. We’re in a world right now where we don’t have a lot of time to take off, so everything the surgeon can do to minimize possible bruising or swelling is important.”

Learn, Play, Grow

When Mandy Chilton and Jennifer Marley decided to launch their own pediatric therapy business, Learn, Play, Grow Children’s Therapy Services, in 2015, they did so in the belief that they could provide a high degree of expertise, as well as a caring touch.

They were right on both accounts and patients flocked to their independent Fort Smith practice. In just seven years, they’ve expanded to 23 team members and last December moved into a new 11,000-square-foot building that nearly tripled their space.

“Many of the patients that we see are kiddos who are born with certain conditions, such as spina bifida, Down syndrome and cerebral palsy,” says Mandy, a physical therapist. “We also see kiddos who have developmental delays, language delays, feeding disorders, are on the autism spectrum or who have behavioral concerns.”

The practice not only offers the latest in therapies and outcomebased practices for patients, it also employs therapists with a range of specialties, including feeding, handwriting, serial casting,

sensory integration and use of augmentative communication devices. They also feature a variety of treatment spaces, including a feeding room, sensory gym, baby gym, calming room, playroom and a simulated home environment.

“Our team works really well together, providing a multi-disciplinary approach,” says Jennifer, who’s an occupational therapist. “It’s very much a team effort amongst our staff to make sure we are best serving the kiddos by collaborating with each other. We not only care about the kids we serve but we also care about their families. We welcome parents to be involved in their child’s treatment sessions. This allows us to not only work on the specific skills the child needs to gain, but also provides the family with the tools necessary to carry those skills over into other areas of their home, school, or community.”

Learn, Play, Grow also hosts two support groups each month for parents of children with spina bifida and Down syndrome. These groups offer parents the opportunity to learn from other parents’ experiences, gain knowledge, receive support and share their child’s achievements.

Premier Pediatrics

Noticing a substantial gap in local health care services, Dr. Josh Wilkinson launched Premier Pediatrics in 2019. Since then, the clinic has become a go-to health care provider for families throughout the area, something he credits to quality, accessible care delivered in a relaxed, welcoming environment.

“The response to our practice has been very positive,” he says. “We stay busy most days and really are able, I hope, to make a pretty big dent in the pediatric needs in our community.”

A native of Jacksonville, Arkansas, Josh received his medical training at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences in Little Rock. Trained and board certified in both internal medicine and pediatrics, he completed his residency at the University of Kentucky Medical Center in Lexington.

In forming his practice, he intentionally wanted to create a place that would immediately improve medical access to local families.

Thus, Premier Pediatrics offers amenities that cater both to busy families and unforeseen emergencies alike.

“The primary issue most of the local pediatric providers in our area struggled with was expanded pediatric access. Not the daytime hours as much as the after-hours access,” he says. “The primary intent of opening our clinic was really to be able to meet those after-hours care needs during the week and weekends. As an urgent care clinic, we’re open seven days a week, 360 days a year to help offset some of that need.”

Structuring the clinic in this way has not only been a blessing for Josh’s patients, but for all families regardless of where they receive their primary care.

“We want to be a clinic that assists other pediatricians in our community by helping offset some of their after-hours needs,” he says. “Patients throughout the River Valley now have a place where they can go, knowing they are going to get the same level of care they would get at their pediatrician’s office, seven days a week.”

GET TO KNOW YOUR PROVIDERS

Arkansas Pediatric Therapy KIM HUNTER

I’m reading: Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers

Favorite food: Pizza

Favorite movie: Titanic

Best gift I've ever received: My engagement ring, because it led to my life with my husband Bo and our four children

Hobbies: Spending time with friends and family, watching the Razorbacks, attending my kids’ sporting events/activities/ performances and exercise

Arkansas Pediatric Therapy FRANCEE DOOLITTLE

Favorite food: Anything Mexican Favorite movie: Can't Buy Me Love

Three words that describe me: Practical, compassionate, leader

Best gift I've ever received: Large-capacity washer and dryer because I have four kids

Hobbies: Any activities with my family

Baptist Health Endocrinology Clinic DR. KASINA

I’m reading: They Came to Baghdad by Agatha Christie

Favorite food: Chicken biryani

Favorite movie: Sherlock Holmes series

3 words that describe me: Friendly, organized, respectful Favorite season: Spring when the beautiful nature flourishes Hobbies: Reading novels, cooking for friends and family, gaming

Healing Tree Women’s Counseling Center MELANIE TAYLOR

Favorite food: Steak and shrimp and chocolate, do I have to choose just one Favorite movie: The Family Stone

Three words that describe me: Funny, determined, creative Best gift I've ever received: My son surprised me one Christmas with a love note and it was my absolute favorite gift

Hobbies: Hammocking with my hubby, staying at unique air BnB’s, gardening and cooking

Passmore Plastic Surgery Dr. ANN PASSMORE

Favorite food: Filet mignon

Favorite movie: Skyfall (or any James Bond movie) toss up with Fast and Furious (love a great thriller & action packed)

Little-known facts about me: I own a dually truck; I have Belgian draft horses, and a big German shepherd. I’m a morning person – rise at 5:00am most mornings and never hit snooze

3 words that describe me: Authentic, savvy, mom Hobbies: Snow skiing, horseback riding, boating, and playing the piano

Learn Play Grow MANDY CHILTON

Favorite food: Comfort food, like Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner

Favorite movie: Sound of Music or anything Harry Potter or Avengers

3 words that describe me: Introverted, compassionate, and patient

Best gift I've ever received: My husband got me a Yorkie puppy for Christmas, Brutus was the best dog

Hobbies: Gardening, camping, fishing, antique shopping

Learn Play Grow JENNIFER MARLEY

I’m reading: When the Brain Can't Hear: Unraveling the Mystery of Auditory Processing Disorder by Teri James Bellis

Favorite food: Seafood Favorite movie: Patch Adams 3 words that describe me: Introvert, reliable, caring Best gift I've ever received: Motherhood, through the beautiful gift of our children's birth parents entrusting us with them

Hobbies: Reading, hiking and traveling

Premier Pediatrics DR. JOSH WILKINSON

I’m reading: Another Lousy Day in Paradise by John Gierach

Favorite food: Steak from Doe's Eat Place

Best gift I've ever received: 40th birthday trip to California, comprised of beautiful scenery, great food, and golf

Favorite season: Spring, because of warm weather and knowing that longer days are coming

Hobbies: Hunting, fishing, running and golf

IIt was the hug heard – and seen – around the world; a grandfather embracing his grandsons, then ages nine and six, while disintegrating into tears. Caught on camera, the moment was shared across the country and around the world.

“If you know my full story, it is a God story,” says Kevin Eubanks, the man in the video. “We have always said that we want it to be told to other people.”

Kevin is father to three daughters and grandfather to three boys, and as proud as he is of his girls, it doesn’t take long to discover what it means to him to be a grandpa.

“It’s all about the grandsons now,” he says. “I get to see them all the time. My middle grandson was born on my

Papa Bear Hug

birthday. That gives me and him a special bond. My kids, when they come over, it’s like, ‘OK, you can go home now. I’ve seen the grandsons!’”

The interactions Kevin and his wife Laurie enjoy with the grandsons are all the more poignant since Kevin suffered a stroke in 2014, an episode that temporarily paralyzed his left side and left him without use of his left arm. Thus, he didn’t have the ability to hug with both arms, a devastating turn for a man who never considered himself at risk for stroke in the first place.

“I didn’t have a whole lot of health issues,” he says. “In fact, two weeks before my stroke, I had been to the doctor and went through a physical. The job I had required me to hold a CDL and

words Dwain Hebda images courtesy Emily Sisco

Kevin Eubanks and family

"Hope is what gives a person the ability to improve on their situation. If a person can maintain hope out there, then eventually something good will come out of it."

every so often I had to go get a physical to make sure that I was in good enough health to drive the truck.”

The stroke was so severe, it was initially feared Kevin wouldn’t survive. In its wake, he underwent six weeks of therapy just to get to the point of being able to transfer from a wheelchair to bed. Everything else he would have to relearn one slow, painstaking step at a time. But come back he did, and in the process inspired his middle daughter, Emily Sisco, to pursue a career in occupational therapy.

“I went back to school as a nontraditional student,” she says. “I had received my bachelor's degree in general studies in 2013. Since then, I just wasn’t really sure what I wanted to do with my career. After my dad had his stroke in February 2014, I was able to see the process of him going through the recovery period and his therapy journey. That’s what piqued my interest in therapy.”

Emily enrolled at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro and was part of the school’s second cohort of occupational therapy students, graduating in 2017. A year later, she got a call from the program director asking if she wanted to teach part time at the school, an offer she accepted. Her rapid rise after years of indecision didn’t come as a surprise to her father.

“When she was in school, she was always a smart student,” he says. “She always got good grades, but she also had a strong

will. When she set her mind to something she would accomplish it. I always said, ‘Emily, as long as I can put you on the right path, I don’t have to worry about you.'”

Emily saw an opportunity to use her father’s reality to educate her students. With his blessing, she shared his daily routine with her class as a real-world example of what their future patients would be going through.

“Before, I gave my students a made-up person and made-up case study,” she says. “What I started last year and wanted to continue this year, was giving them my dad as a client. I took a video showing how he can dress himself, how he is able to walk and maneuver through the house, how he is able to access the kitchen. We simulated his bathroom activities.”

In one class, students were challenged to come up with an idea for an adaptive device that would improve patients’ quality of life. “We Facetimed my dad and the students were able to ask him all kinds of questions,” Emily says. “They’re asking about his background, his medical history and then what’s meaningful to him and what he wishes he could get back to doing.”

During these conversations, Kevin expressed how he missed fishing, playing cards, how he wanted to be more independent in the shower, and especially the time he spent with his grandsons.

Kevin and his grandsons

“What was so amazing about it was, at the end of the conversation, he made this remark of, ‘Yeah, and I wish I could hug my grandkids again using two arms,’” Emily says. “If you weren’t paying attention, you would’ve missed it, but a group of students heard that remark. They knew that’s what they wanted to focus their piece of adaptive equipment around.”

After two weeks, class members presented their prototypes, all tailored to Kevin’s situation. Each device impressed Emily, but the simplest idea among them – the one that would allow him to hug – gave her goosebumps.

“It was essentially just a long piece of fabric that had Velcro on it,” she says. “When they presented it, I had tears in my eyes because I was thinking, ‘Wow! This is so simple.’ I was envisioning my dad’s reaction because I knew how it was going to impact him.

“It’s funny because they told me afterward, they were actually worried about it when they turned it in thinking, ‘Is this going to be enough?’ The idea was so simple, they were concerned about their grade.”

When class dismissed, Emily couldn’t call her mother fast enough. “I said, ‘Are y’all home?’ Mom said yes and I said, ‘Good. Don’t go anywhere. I’ll be there in a few minutes,’” she says. “I picked my children up early from school because I literally could not wait to come over and show them everything my students had created.”

Kevin was overwhelmed by the inventions, completely unaware of what his daughter had saved for last. She fastened the material, dubbed the HugAgain, to his wrists, forming a circle by which his good arm lifted his left arm up and over the head of his oldest grandson, Cope, then again for second-in-line Rigney. It was a moment no one in the family will ever forget.

“It was one of those situations where I was caught off-guard,” Kevin says. “When she showed me the device that would allow me to play cards again, I just couldn’t imagine what would be coming next.”

“You were getting emotional just me putting it on your arm,” Emily chimes.

“Yeah, because I had an idea of what it was for,” Kevin replies. “And then it hit me it had been eight years since I had wrapped both arms around my oldest grandson and hugged him. He was one the year I had my stroke. Then when my other grandson came up, it dawned on me that I had never hugged him that way. That’s when I got so emotional.”

“We’re kind of used to him crying by now,” Emily says with a gentle laugh. The resulting publicity from the viral video led the creators of the device to apply for a patent, with the help of ASU. The dream is to help more patients all over the country.

“The one thing we have said out of all of this is that we want other people who might be in a similar circumstance to always have hope,” Kevin says. “Hope is what gives a person the ability to improve on their situation. If a person can maintain hope out there, then eventually something good will come out of it.”

Emily is proud of her students’ efforts but admitted no matter how big the HugAgain gets globally, it can never outdo the moment her father embraced her sons for the first time.

“I actually felt guilty because I thought, ‘How could I have not realized this before now? It’s been eight years, and this was something so important to him that we had not tried,’” she says. “I had a feeling of guilt, but then was just so thankful and grateful and proud that he was able to do that again.”

Learn more about

HugAgain

watch

Soul Food

NNate Walls stands before three large pans, a long-handled spoon in one hand and a clamshell foam plate in the other.

“Let me fix you a plate,” he says to the visitor, slicing the nose of the spoon into a well of Brussels sprouts and sweet potato. He won’t take no for an answer, even if you felt like objecting.

Chef Nate’s purpose in life is to feed people and feed them he does. Through his Fayetteville catering company, Second Hand Smoke, he pays the bills and through his nonprofit Second Helping, he pays it forward. It’s his way of lifting others and the communities they collectively embody, one spoonful at a time.

“You know, sometimes you think you’re the most important thing in the world and you’re not,” he says, the spoon now deftly ladling macaroni and cheese onto the plate. “The ability to do for somebody else just kind of changed my heart.”

The appearance and mannerism of the softspoken chef are shocking contradictions to what he tells you nonchalantly of his background. You can scarcely imagine him as he says he once was: addicted, directionless, headed inextricably toward jail or the grave. He talks about his past effortlessly and without bitterness; the way he sees it, what he’s lived through is a real-life calling card that’s so relatable to the people he serves, it loosens their own life stories, some for the very first time.

“When people eat, they talk,” he says, now plucking mahogany pork ribs from a nearby pan. “My mama used to say when everybody was arguing in the house, ‘Let’s just bring it to the table.’ We’d meet on Sunday and talk about all the stuff that happened that week. That’s why we call it breaking bread with people; just talking about things. It is intimate. People tend to tell you stuff over food that they wouldn’t typically tell you.”

words and IMAGEs Dwain Hebda

Nate Walls

Nate has watched food in all its wizardry since he was six years old, working in the kitchen of his adoptive mother’s juke joint outside Stuttgart. There was nothing about the fare then that you’d mistake for high cuisine, just the latest chapter in the legacy of the Delta, of taking what many reject and turning it into something everyone clamors for.

“My mom didn’t have much, and I learned so much coming up from people like that,” he says. “I think that’s kind of where my heart was. That’s how I embrace the compassion for the community and people who don’t have much today. I understand the side effects of poverty.”

By the time he was a teenager, the side effects of his situation had Nate in their grip – drinking, drugs, trouble. Even an intervening stint in the U.S. Army failed to provide the needed wake-up call. “I went [into the service] because it was so disciplined and had so much structure which I didn’t know much about,” he says. “But I kind of pushed back on that and as soon as I got the green light, I was like, I’m ready to get out, you know?”

The Army did further his culinary skills and inspired him to at least attempt to advance his education at the University of Arkansas upon discharge. Formal schooling didn’t work out – too much distraction by women and partying, he says – and his problems with drugs accelerated him from user to dealer to statistic, a young Black man headed nose-first toward rock bottom.

“I was incarcerated and still didn’t understand what manhood was,” he says. “I got married and didn’t do well as a husband. I did really good as a father, because I didn’t have one. I wanted to excel at being a husband too, but I didn’t do very well.”

What Nate understands now that he didn’t know then was how deeply rooted his issues were in his difficult upbringing. His birth mother had struggled under addiction and domestic abuse, a reality that led her to put Nate into foster care. His adoptive mother took him out of the system, but her hardline tactics were hurtful to his self-esteem and sense of worth.

Today, Nate speaks of his mother in terms that are appreciative of what she did and forgiving of that which, for whatever reason, she could not do. “She did the best she could, but

she was limited in her education and understanding of how to handle certain things,” he says. “Not to say abuse is OK, but some people don’t have the resources to understand what that does to a child and how it affects their mental health. There’s such a stigma attached to that.”

Through it all, food was a central theme in Nate’s life and relationships, in ways both sorrowful and redemptive. When he left home, he says he proclaimed to his mother he would never cook again. When she died, his grief doubled down that promise, and he couldn’t bear touching a pan for fifteen years. When at last his marriage collapsed, it felt as if nothing of value remained.

“My rock bottom might not have looked like somebody else’s; I hadn’t lost my job, but I lost everything else,” he says. “My wife left. My brother died, we used to cook together a lot. Actually, she left me the day after my brother died. That was my rock bottom.

“In the midst of that, I was trying to quit on my own, the drinking and stuff. By the time I finally went to AA, I went into a real dark place and I didn’t want to live anymore. My business partner now, she wouldn’t let me give up. She was going through cancer at the same time and so we were kind of commiserating. I was there for her cancer journey and my problems just kind of paled in comparison. I decided I never wanted to go back to where I was.”

Nate rededicated himself to cooking and launched his catering business Second Hand Smoke in 2017. He caught his big break after agreeing to cater an event for free, his food so impressing the guests they booked him for one paying gig after another. Everything was booming, right up to March 2020, when he came to the most fateful moment of his career.

“When COVID came, my business just hit the bottom,” he says. “So, I took whatever I had, which was like $1,000, and said whatever this feeds, that’s what we’re going to

do. I bought canned goods – nothing fancy – and made good comfort food, mac and cheese, mashed potatoes, fried chicken, smoked chicken, ribs. Then I literally started knocking on doors.

“People started seeing what I was doing in the community. People who didn’t have much wanted to help, so they would give me canned goods while I was out there. People started donating. From there, it just took off.”

Nate formalized his door-to-door mission to feed the hungry as Second Helping NWA, a nonprofit to which he dedicates three days a week to cook, package and distribute meals in the community. Second Helping is buoyed by the generosity of Mount Sequoyah, a Fayetteville event space that provides Nate a commercial kitchen for his nonprofit work. Lately, he’s approaching various foundations in the hopes of landing funding to expand the program. He’s much more comfortable with poaching than politicking, but he’ll do what he has to do to continue the work for which he was created.

“I’ve learned so much about myself,” he says. “Just to be able to pour into other people what we’re about, you know what I’m saying?”

The to-go plate finished, Nate leads the visitor to Willow Heights, a clutch of beige apartments resting against a Fayetteville hillside. It’s a nondescript place and late into the weekday afternoon few people are milling about, but it is ground zero for Second Helping and its mission to serve, nourish and inspire. Nate’s face shows conflicting emotions as he scans the unblinking windows staring back at him. Places like this – in ways physical, spiritual and memorial –are a homecoming and the people who live here, all of them, his brothers and sisters.

“Last year we did a big Christmas and Thanksgiving for people, and they just absolutely loved that,” he says, handing over the weighty to-go box at last. “Fed them with a couple other vendors and just loved on people in the community. Telling kids that they can do it, you know, that they are smart, and they can navigate through this bad time right now. Just hugging on people, telling people it’s going to be all right. It’s better up ahead.”

GOBBLE GOBBLE

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

chocolate-covered cookies (Keebler® Grasshopper cookies) large pretzel rods chocolate chips candy corn candy eyes

HOW TO PREP

Line a baking sheet with waxed paper. Arrange cookies on the waxed paper so the turkeys will not touch once assembled. Cut and reserve the orange portion from a few pieces of the candy corn and trim to cut into triangle for the beak, set aside.

In a small bowl, melt chocolate chips in microwave. Heat in short increments, stirring frequently until melted completely. Using melted chocolate adhere candy corn onto the cookie in a fan-shaped pattern, leaving room to place the pretzel rod.

Dip half of the pretzel rod in chocolate, twist to coat completely, tap to remove excess. Place the rod in the center of the cookie, on top of the ends of the candy corn. Using the back of a spoon or a fork, gently tap the chocolate on the pretzel to give it a textured appearance.

Adhere the candy eyes and the beak to the pretzel rod using melted chocolate. If chocolate is not set, place in the refrigerator for 5-10 minutes, remove and serve!

RECIPE Catherine Frederick image JeniFoto/Shutterstock

Continuous Improvement

Fort Smith Public Schools 2022 Annual Report to the Public

Students Save on Higher Ed Costs with Concurrent Associate Degree Pathways

Fort Smith Public School students and their families can save a minimum of $20,000 in direct higher education costs if they earn one of these two concurrent University of Arkansas Fort Smith associate degrees while they attend Northside or Southside high schools

Pending Higher Learning Commission approval, FSPS with UAFS will offer an Associate of General Studies that is fully transferable to a Bachelor of Business Administration and an Associate of Applied Science in Electronics Technology that is fully transferable to a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering Technology in 2023 2024. The teams are working to create a pathway for an Associate of General Studies fully transferable to a Bachelor of Elementary Education for 2024 2025. Check the 2023 2024 Course Catalog for detailed information.

Available in 2023-2024

Associate of General Studies fully transferable to Bachelor of Business Administration

Associate of Applied Science in Electronics Technology fully transferable to Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering Technology

17 Schools Earn Energy Star® Recognition

Energy conser vation success has earned EPA’s ENERGY STAR® Certification for 17 district schools. ese schools rate in the top 25 percent nationwide for energy efficiency.

Beard, Bonneville, Carnall, Cavanaugh, Euper Lane, Fair view, Howard, Orr, Park, Spradling, Sunnymede, Sutton, Tilles, Woods, Chaffin, Ramsey and Northside High School

e cost of utilities is a large budget line item and with the prices for electricity, natural gas, heating oil and water steadily increasing, FSPS has reduced its energy consumption by 25 2 percent

Shawn Shaffer, Executive Director of Facilities

Fort Smith Public School District students can now access free unlimited tutoring support 24 hours a day, seven days a week with the district ’s subscription to TutorMe.

The system, backed by a workforce of more than 15,000 tutors available at any time, provides on demand expertise in hundreds of subject areas in multiple languages whenever students need it They can simply click through their district issued Clever account to access this new resource for academic support

FSPS used $290,000 in Title 1 funding to purchase this academic support service Title 1 funds are limited to student achievement, staff professional development or parent involvement expenditures.

Information regarding FSPS teacher qualifications and student and school performance can be found using this QR Code to visit DESE’s “My School Info ”

On the Cover: e cover photo was made by Northside photography student Mya Chanthavong. Look for other photos throughout this report made by NHS and SHS students in Leigh Ann Hasley’s and Allison Strasser’s classes.

of Excellence

Beard Elementar y School teachers collaborate at strategic planning meeting.

A LWAY S T H E B E S T C H O I C E

Wow! What a year!

2021-2022 represented our first year as PK-5 elementary schools, 6-8 middle schools and 9 12 high schools. e Peak Innovation Center building opened March 28, 2022, as a result of hard work, planning and investment in Student Success and workforce development by our FSPS team, University of Arkansas Fort Smith and this incredible community.

Safety and security, technology and capital improvement projects are finished and we have completed the Vision 2023 Strategic Plan

All of this has positioned FSPS to make even greater strides in ensuring better and safer learning environments for Barling and Fort Smith’s youngest citizens.

As we have completed these high profile initiatives, we also have turned our attention toward processes that will strengthen our internal education delivery systems. We are emphasizing collaboration, relationships and data that are focused on helping students build knowledge and skills as they identify personal aptitudes and explore career fields and future employment

We have accomplished a great deal, but there is always the challenge of Continuous Improvement is is the theme of our new strategic planning process. It is designed to incorporate the accomplishments of Vision 2023 as we build new and fortify existing systems focused on Student Success.

We are visiting all schools in our district to gather staff and student input. We are speaking with community organizations and are hosting public meetings I hope you will use these QR codes to share your thoughts on four important questions. We will be presenting plans based on this feedback this Spring

We are grateful for your continuing support as we continue to build a culture of excellence focused on Student Success

Terry Morawski, Ed.D. Superintendent

• Guided by Collaboration, relationships, data and Career Focus, the Curriculum & instruction team is leading our district toward a “guaranteed and viable curriculum” that challenges each student with high expectations and rigor

• the Fsps safety and security team continues to leverage the resources that you committed for safer school environments their vision and your investment garnered Fsps police a position on the Arkansas safe schools Commission.

• our student services team has been recognized in the top 2 percent in Arkansas for the district’s Comprehensive school Counseling plan Additionally, this group led all schools and the district to purple star status with Arkansas’ Council for military Children.

• Charles Warren and the Child nutrition team have earned state and national recognition with their creative approaches to providing meals to students during construction projects Additionally, the Financial services team designed a Board approved plan to address the need for competitive starting wages for new teachers.

• Fsps human resources implemented an updated new teacher onboarding system at the beginning of this school year as a part of a developing recruitment, support and retention plan. Feedback has been excellent on their work so far.

From the superintendent S U C C E S S F O R E A C H S T U D E N T D R I V E S A L L T H AT W E D O

Fort Smith Board of Education

Spanish English

SHS Principal Jeff Prewitt is an enthusiastic Southern Grounds customer.

School-Based Enterprise project

“Southe rn Grounds” opens at Southside

Students in the Small Business Operations classes are practicing their drink prep and customer ser vice skills in Southside’s newly chartered School Based Enterprise (SBE) “Southern Grounds ” Students from the marketing program are responsible for the operation and management of the Southern Grounds cafe and market. SBEs provide realistic and practical learning experiences that reinforce classroom instruction while integrating national curriculum standards in marketing, finance, hospitality and management. ere are 28 students involved in the design and development. Teacher Adina Boatright said, “ when you incorporate other students such as Mrs ompson's students and other cross curricular projects, there are countless students who could be involved directly or indirectly!”

Information

Dr Gary Udouj, Stephanie Freeman and Amye Drackett congratulate Northside High School 2022 graduate Luke Monk on his accomplishment as the first FSPS student to earn an Associate’s Degree in conjunction with his high school diploma. See page 13.

The P Peak Innovation Center building opened in March 2022 to support career education and workforce development throughout the region emphasizing

Peak Scores

in Career and Technology Education

1,989 industry recognized certifications, up from 1,325 in 2020 21

400 students completed three classes in a CTE program of study

3,781 students are enrolled in at least 1 CTE course up from 3,613 in 2020 21

D vA N C E D M A N U FA C T U R I N G H E A LT H S C I E N C ES I N F O R M AT I O N T EC H N O LO GY

E E R & T E C H N O L O G Y

D U C AT I O N F O C U S I N G O N C A R E E R & C O L L E G E R E A D I N E S S

Community Outreach

E A R LY W I N S

P R O C E S S : H R S

Orr earns Level 1 and Level 2 HRS Certification

“Ensuring that we have systems in place to help us guarantee effective teaching in every classroom is key to our students' success. Effective teaching in every classroom is the focus of High Reliability Schools Level 2. Every member of our Orr Team, including our families and students, has worked together to identify areas of strength and areas for improvement through the gathering and analysis of survey data. For areas that needed improvement, we added systems and collected data to determine if the changes that we made resulted in a positive impact.”

Dr. Dawn Childress, Orr Principal

Spradling Earns Level 1 HRS Certification

“High Reliability Level 1 is all about having a safe, supportive and collaborative culture. As parents ourselves, we understand the importance of sending children to a school where you can trust he/she is safe physically and emotionally. As colleagues, we understand and recognize that no one person has all the answers or can single handedly meet the many needs of the students we serve We value the talents of each other and work together to collaborate and support each other We are continually striving to improve our practices so that we better serve our students.”

Elizabeth Love, Spradling Principal

2021 2022 Study & Learn

District and Building Administrators completed a deep dive study of the High Reliability School (HRS) framework and how it supports the work of the Professional Learning Community (PLC)

High Reliability Schools

e High Reliability School (HRS) program was created by Marzano Resources to help transform schools into organizations that take proactive steps to ensure student success Educators learn to assess, monitor and confirm the effectiveness of their schools. Schools must collect data and validate their performance Certification is determined by Marzano Resources analysts in cooperation with school data teams. It encourages educators to concentrate their efforts on five key areas of operation:

Level 1 certification means that Spradling and Orr Elementar y Schools have established a culture that meets the “Safe, Supportive and Collaborative Culture” criteria. is is the foundation for ever y level that follows.

by Dahlia Ramirez

by Landon Christianberry

howard elementary alum and 188th air Guard lTC lionel Riley greets students as they arrive at their Partner School, howard elementary. Partners in education began in 1982 at howard elementary School with Weldon Williams & lick as its first Partner. The program has grown to include Partnerships between 100s of businesses, organizations and all schools in the FSPS Family.

Schools are Capturing Kids Hearts

CKH training equips staff with tools and strategies to address the social and emotional needs of students.

The process empowers students and their teacher to establish mutually agreed upon standards of good behavior and respect.

“We have seen great results from Capturing Kids Hearts It has allowed us to build those relationships, to reduce social anxiety, to create a safe environment for all our students and what that does … it increases learning!”

Gina Mann, Principal Euper Lane Elementary School

R e l aT i o n S h i P S

“Congratulations! You have just mastered one of the most important

exclaimed Ramsey Middle School Principal Dr. Jennifer Prado when her newest class of 6th graders returned her signal and stopped talking. The “time” sign indicates “stop what you are doing and listen” for all students and all adults.

Information regarding FSPS teacher qualifications and student and school performance can be found using this QR Code to visit DESE’s “My School Info.”

Veronica Luna Geels

love them first so that we can lead them.

Donna Jones, Bonneville Elementary School Principal

e FSPS Elementar y Tennis Tournament is a culminating activity hosted for third-graders throughout the district. Students develop teamwork and leadership skills that will last a lifetime.

Kimberly Kiehl Soto, Fairview Elementary School Physical Education Teacher Relationships

PLCs emphasize the “All Hands On Deck” mindset that brings all adults on an education team together to support each student in their building.

Dr. Katie Kreimer-Hall, Supervisor of Curriculum and Professional Development

Before he retired, you could see custodian David Burns in classrooms actively participating in the learning process at Woods Elementary School. He is photographed here reading to students in Jeffery Judkins’ class.

What is a Professional Learning Community Guiding Coalition?

Guiding Coalitions are important because they bring exceptional people with varied job roles to the table to share ideas and give feedback in a safe, supportive, and solution-oriented setting.

In order to function fully as a Professional Learning Community as a district, it is important to have people engaged in the decision-making process that represent the systems and student supports throughout the district.

Our FSPS Guiding Coalition has members including representatives from elementary and secondary schools, administrators from different programs, directors, assistant superintendents, our FSPS Deputy Superintendent, Mr. Mahan, and our Superintendent, Dr. Morawski. Each week throughout the school year, we meet to discuss our district curriculum, processes to improve our practices, and innovative ideas to help us propel forward as a district.

Dr. Morawski encourages us to share our opinions and listens to our voices. Through the FSPS Guiding Coalition, he models the expectation of shared leadership that we use as building leaders in our schools through our school Guiding Coalitions.

In PLCs, we come together to work on providing the highest quality education for our students. We look at student data, we look at best practices and do everything that we can to provide the best instruction to every student in our school.

Clark Darby Middle School Band Director

Dr. Dawn Childress Orr Elementary School Principal

“Every student belongs to every teacher.”

SUCCESS

RAMSEY QUIZ BOWL

e Ramsey Middle School Gold Quiz Bowl Team including Vincente Otero, Dipa Patel, Samuel Pritchard, Jackson Austin, Tzideny Romero, Shane Nguyen, Elijah Friery, managed by Natalie Tucker and Minni Khotsphom and sponsored by Amanda Allen won the Junior National Academic Challenge hosted by Questions Unlimited.

BRADEN SPRINGS

Northside High School JROTC Cadet Lieutenant Colonel Braden Springs was one of only 43 students worldwide recognized with the Legion of Valor Bronze Cross from the Legion of Valor of the United States of America. e prestigious award recognizes cadets worldwide who have demonstrated excellence in military, scholastic and civic affairs.

GRIZZLY GEAR

Northside’s Grizzly Gear, the School-Based Enterprise (SBE), is among 461 school-based enterprises achieving Gold Certification for the 2021-2022 school year. is is the 10th consecutive year that Grizzly Gear has achieved Gold Certification. Ben Maurer, Alexis Register, Braden Springs, Chase Delaney and their Small Business Operations teachers and DECA chapter advisors, Melinda Briscoe and Linda Holland prepared the 21-22 certification documents.

Academy

of 2023

of

the seven Class of 2023 National Merit Semi-Finalists, four participated in the Superintendent Scholars PSAT Academy

Dropout Rate 6.4%

includes 15 students

left to get a GED

out of FSPS,

into FSPS

CHAFFIN QUIZ BOWL

Northside High School senior Zaq Qureshi was surprised with the 2022 Positive Energy Scholar scholarship from OG&E Energy Corp. Foundation, Inc.

is photographed here with OG&E’s Lindsay Laird (right) and his counselor Heather Brown. Sean Trauschke, OG&E Energy Corp. Chairman, President and CEO, said, “Zaqariah’s application for the scholarship was impressive. In addition to his academic achievements, Zaqariah gave us insight into his character through his volunteerism and

outlook on life.”

ELLIE BUNNELL

Ellie Bunnell, a senior at Southside High School, was selected as the 2021-22 Arkansas Journalist of the Year by the Journalism Education Association.

NATIONAL MERIT SCHOLARS

Southside High School seniors Emma Paulus and Leen Samman are 2022 National Merit Scholarship Finalists named by the National Merit Scholarship Corp.

JROTC PRECISION

Grizzly JROTC Battalion’s Braden Springs, Ashlyn Cancel, Mikayla McCall and Edith Aquino-Valentin finished in first place in the state JROTC Rifle Precision competition. e Northside JROTC program has won either sporter, precision, or both state championships 22 out of the last 25 competitions. eir sponsor and coach is MSG Patrick Hanson.

SOUTHSIDESTATE FBLA WINNERS

Southside High School students earned top honors in three categories in state FBLA competition.

Ella Grannon and Brianna Andrews 1st Place in International Business Anaya Tagarsse, Jiaya Shah and Mackenzie Settlage 1st Place in Business Plan

Emma Paulus 1st Place in Client Services ese students and their classmates are sponsored by Susan Colyer.

ARKANSAS SCHOLASTIC PRESS ASSOCIATION WINNERS

Mav Media won Arkansas Scholastic Press Association honors in 2022. Ellie Bunnell Yearbook Designer of the Year and All-State Journalist Trista Truong Newspaper Designer of the Year Carsyn Lincks Yearbook Writer of the Year Boushra Raache Photojournalist of the Year Mailey Woolf and Gabby Woodie Best of ASPA Honors for Editorial Cartooning and Sports Photography Cooper Oxford & Kate Bunnell – 1st in Advertising & Student Life Design eir teacher and sponsor was Susan Colyer.

NORTHSIDE HIGH SCHOOL ESPORTS

e Northside High School eSports team ‘Wheelie Good Team’ including Noah Ralston, Captain, JT Beasley, Nathan Fuhrman and Emmanuel Uribe, won their first State Championship in the Arkansas Activities Association High School Esports Mario Kart League. e Northside eSports teams are coached by April Coats and Zack Coats.

NCWIT AWARDS

Southside’s Urvi Sharma, Dipa Patel, Kathryn Wilson, Sydney Tran, Clair Merry, Natalie Tucker, Sarah Emmons, Vivan Apple, Jewell Callahan, Caroline Keck and Northside’s Courtney Nguyen received the 2022 Aspirations in Computing Award from the National Center for Women & Information Technology. e award recognizes computingrelated achievements and interests based on aptitude, interest, leadership, academic history and plans for post-secondary education.

LUKE MONK

Luke Monk, Northside Class of 2022, is the first FSPS student to earn an Associate’s degree through the Western Arkansas Technical Center at the University of Arkansas Fort Smith and his high school diploma at the same time. Additionally, he is the district’s first to earn an Associate of Science in the Unmanned Aerial Systems degree program. Because of the FSPS partnership with UAFS, Luke is the first of many students who will be able to earn concurrent degrees.

SHS QUIZ BOWL

e Southside High School Quiz Bowl team, Jackson Austin, Jordan Kennedy, Isabel Nuno, Andrea Ortega, Vincente Otero, Dipa Patel, Sam Pritchard, Zain Rana and Tzideny Romero, captured first place in the nation at the National Academic Championships Junior Varsity National Tournament. e Mavs defeated a team from Ankeny, Iowa 300-250 in the championship game. e quiz bowl team is coached by Josh Adams and Walter Woodie.

AIMEE BRINKLEY

Aimee Brinkley, Pre-AP and AP Biology teacher at Northside High School, is the Fort Smith Schools Teacher of the Year. Ms. Brinkley has taught at Northside since 2004 and is a National Board Certified Teacher. She serves as the Instructional Chair of the science department and assisted in Northside’s achievement to become the first PLC Model High School in the state.

Aimee Brinkley with Fort Smith Mayor George McGill

GINA LEWIS

Gina Lewis, Southside High School Computer Science Teacher, has received the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) AiC Arkansas Educator Award. e award identifies exemplary formal and informal educators who play a pivotal role in encouraging 9th 12th grade students to explore their interest in computing and technology.

NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFIED TEACHERS

Five FSPS teachers joined more than 90,000 teachers across the United States who have achieved national board certification by the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards.

Kristin Been, Northside High School

Angie Clark, Darby Middle School

Christina Cusick, Barling Elementary

Brittney Jackson, Sutton Elementary

Michael Johnson, Northside High School

Currently, 84 FSPS educators hold the National Board Certification

DR. KERI RATHBUN

Dr. Keri Rathbun, former Northside Principal and now Director of Coordinated School Health and Career Counseling, received the 2022 Arkansas Secondary School Principal of the Year Award given by the Arkansas Association of Secondary School Principals and the Arkansas Association of Educational Administrators.

JEFFREY RICE

Southside High School AP Chemistry teacher Jeffrey Rice is the state winner of the Presidential Awards for Excellence in Science Teaching. e National Science Foundation oversees the program that recognizes outstanding STEM teachers who demonstrate a commitment to professional development, innovative teaching techniques, and technology use in their classrooms.

STACEY GLOVER

Euper Lane Elementary Art Teacher Stacey Glover was named Arkansas Art Educator of the Year by the Arkansas Art Educators. is statewide organization advocates for art education through supporting legislation and providing quality professional development for all art instructors in the state.

JUAN VELASQUEZ

Juan Velasquez, Sunnymede Elementary School first grade teacher, won recognition as the 2022 Outstanding TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) Student in the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville M.Ed. program.

2022 State and National Pinnacle of Excellence Award

Charles Warren, CPA, SFO and Chief Financial Officer of Fort Smith Public Schools, has received the 2022 Pinnacle of Excellence Award from the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. e Association of School Business Officials International (ASBOI) created the Pinnacle Awards to celebrate the work of outstanding individuals whose original solutions maximize resources and enhance student achievement. He received this award at the ASBOI Annual Conference & Expo in Portland, Oregon.

“I am honored to accept this national award on behalf of the outstanding teams in financial services and child nutrition. e brilliance of the Pinnacle Award is to showcase the everyday creativity of our industry. So often, school business officials face ‘out of the box’ issues that are resolved efficiently and thoughtfully. e Pinnacle Award recognizes the importance of sharing our problem-solving ideas that might otherwise feel like an answer to ‘just another ordinary everyday crisis.’ I completed an application for the Pinnacle Award because of this simple fact: e more one shares, the more tools we all have for the day we face a similar challenge. It’s a great validation for what, we at the District, all believe - Fort Smith Public Schools is a leader in school business innovation.” – Charles Warren, CFO

Project Summary

Grade reconfiguration and accompanying renovations at Northside and Southside high schools, including freshmen centers and expanded cafeterias, meant there would be no food service kitchens at either campus for the 2020-2021 school year. e goal of this winning project was to prepare meals off-site to provide school breakfasts and lunches throughout 2020-2021. e solution was called “Temporary Offsite Kitchen” (TOK).

Leigh Christian, Director of Child Nutrition, scoured the city for a commercial size kitchen that could prepare the meals delivered to the two campuses to feed almost 3,000 students combined. e staff from the two rival high schools came together in the central kitchen to prepare hot meals.

Grand Avenue Baptist Church is centrally located and became the new kitchen site. e district made equipment upgrades and repairs to the church’s kitchen. e church considered the project to be a community partnership and charged minimal rent to cover utility costs for the full school year.

e district purchased two cargo vans to deliver the hot meals from the off-campus kitchen to the high schools. Cold meals were prepared in temporary buildings on campus. ese temporary buildings also provided safe space needed for efficient meal service and even some student dining.

e schedule for meal preparation, delivery and serving was tight, but manageable, and there was no real disruption to high school meals in 2020-2021.

Recruitme nt & Retention

The FSPS Human Resources mission is to Recruit, Support, and Retain highly qualified, high-skilled staff to ensure student success.

Reconfiguration

e 2021-22 school year marked the beginning of a new grade configuration for the Fort Smith Public Schools. Transitioning 6thgrade students to Middle School and 9th-grade students to High School meant we needed to assist staff in making the transition, as well. ere were more than 200 staff transfers that took place last school year and we are excited that nearly everyone had some form of choice in what their new position would be. Not only did we

core subjects, we also transitioned middle school

activities

students in this

to meet

configuration.

needs of

e Human Resources department is dedicated to ensuring that every classroom and campus has highly qualified, highly skilled staff to meet the needs of our students, teachers, and stakeholders.

Recruit

We are working with DESE as well as our higher education partners to provide more authentic experiences for students participating in traditional educator preparatory programs. Students in the UAFS education program are eligible to be hired as substitutes in our district to provide classroom support when a teacher is out and provide relevant experience for students about to enter the profession.

Support

We have reimagined our teacher orientation to provide point-in-time and ongoing support to our teachers new to the profession, as well as our district. All new staff were introduced to our district with a 4-day orientation that included all departments. Ongoing support is provided through follow-up visits, as well as quarterly sessions to meet and provide feedback and assistance on the issues that arise throughout the school year.

more than ever, we are focused on efforts to

staff

and

to

Conduct Stay Interviews with current staff. Reimagine the Aspiring Teacher and Leader programs to support employee growth throughout their career.

Chris Davis Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources and Campus Support

In compliance with federal nondiscrimination laws, the Fort Smith Public School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, genetic information or disability in its employment and educational practices. If you have questions regarding the professional qualifications of your child’s teachers or paraprofessionals, you are encouraged to ask Dr. Christopher Davis, Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources and Campus Support. • Le invitamos a que hable con el Dr. Christopher Davis si usted tiene alguna pregunta sobre las capacitaciones profesionales de los maestros o asistentes de maestros de sus hijos.

SAFETY & SECURITY

Safety Enhanced by Several

Accomplishments

Training

All officers have completed the Trauma Medics course and Stop the Bleed training. e department has the ability to deploy Automated External Defibrillators, giving them the advanced lifesaving first aid skills to treat students and staff in the event of a mass casualty event.

We have created and established a back-to-school in service training week. During this spin up, all officers train in active shooter solo engagement tactics and response, medical first aid refresher, de-escalation tactics, firearm qualifications, ethics and community and cultural awareness, youth mental health first aid and suicide prevention

All FSPS Police and the Fort Smith Police Departments completed an Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training (A.L.E.R.R.T.) course. e training consisted of data driven tactically – sound, standardized active shooter response training from across the country. is enables law responders from different agencies to work together safely and effectively in stopping the active shooter.

Social Worker Becca Sparks and Chief Bill Hollenbeck completed a Behavior reat Assessment Course. is course is designed to give staff the skill set to conduct behavior threat assessments and follow up with strategies to prevent the pathway to violence.

Communication

Sheri Fuhrman manages the newly developed dispatch center and screens all calls regarding crisis situations. is center can dispatch our campus police or any other needed emergency services, and has NCIC, ACIC and Computer Aided Dispatch capabilities.

We have completed the installation and implementation of a Mass Notification System for FSPS.

We have started the Police and Student Advisory Council. Officers who are assigned to all middle schools and high schools meet with their student advisor council quarterly to discuss current affairs and/or any concerns.

Tools to Enhance Safety

FSPS PD uses a Behavioral reat Assessment System that tracks all reported threats. e system and staff now can track behavioral threats and assessments, has analytics, email alerting and intervention management. is system is managed by Social Worker Becca Sparks who is assigned to the FSPS PD.

Travis Watkins

Sheri Fuhrman

Ray Whitson

Randy White

Mike Moss

Lilyahna Gonzalez

Justin Lopez Joe Love

Brian Beaver

Becca Sparks

Eric Huber

Clayton Bray Anthony Cox

Bill Hollenbeck Chief of Police

PD Social Worker Assists

Families and Educators

Becca Sparks is a social worker assigned to the Fort Smith Public Schools Police Department. She aids school personnel in conducting Behavioral Threat Assessment interviews and maintains the system used to record threats and provide critical tracking data to ensure recommended or necessary mental health services are provided to a student in a timely manner. Sparks also provides crisis counseling to students, families and educators and works closely with the administration to create safety plans for at risk students.

Behavioral Threat Assessment Goals

Student Mental Health Services

A Behavioral Threat Assessment may be the first clue a student may benefit from receiving mental health services or it could be that we partner with services already in place to aid the student in coping skills, emotional regulation and violence prevention.

“Transportant” New to Bus Safety Features

“Transportant” will be fully active on the 74 buses in the Fort Smith Public Schools bus fleet later this fall. Currently, the safety-focused app purchased by the FSPS Transportation Department allows the district and parents to track buses. Students can also access WiFi provided through this system. Parents and transportation and security personnel can view camera feeds from the buses their children ride. When the ID scanners are fully activated, students will “scan on” and “scan off” giving parents access to the bus number and data about the time and location of pick up and drop off, as well as the time of arrival.

is will be especially useful in situations where a parent calls about a student who is missing or hasn’t made it home yet. e app will tell us the student’s identity and include all pertinent information regarding their bus ride.

–Stacy Sangster, Supervisor of Transportation

Documenting and following up on a threat can be an extensive process. It is our hope that the BTA can bring together collaboration from different areas of expertise in the building to ensure the student does not succeed in being violent.

Support Administration and Teachers Prevention Education/ Services

Deterring the path to violence starts with educating students on how they can report threats, resources available if they feel like they want to harm someone, as well as supporting parents and families after their student has made a threat.

Information regarding FSPS teacher qualifications and student and school performance can be found using this QR Code to visit DESE’s “My School Info.”

STUDENT SERVICES & SCHOOL COUNSELING

All Schools and District Earn National Purple Star Designation

In January 2022, the Fort Smith Board of Education passed a resolution honoring military children to express collective support for military children and their families. Within a few months of this resolution, all district schools and the district had earned the designation of Purple Star. is national military support program is designed to help schools respond to challenges military-connected children face during their transition to a new school so that we may help to ensure all are college, workforce, and life-ready.

All of our schools have a school military liaison who is trained by the Military and Veterans Liaison at the Arkansas Department of Education. ese liaisons make sure that families have the resources they need to be successful. ey help students become a part of the school community, and they help students and families make connections with one another through special social events, and they coordinate professional learning for educators about the needs of military children.

Looking Forward 2022-2023

RECOGNIZED

Counseling Programs Align to National Best Practices

Darby Middle School, Barling Elementary School, Fairview Elementary School, and Woods Elementary School have qualified to apply for the Recognized ASCA (American School Counseling Association) Model Program or RAMP designation.

RAMP recognizes schools committed to delivering comprehensive, data-informed school counseling programs aligned with the ASCA National Model framework. e application process is the culmination of successfully implementing the framework and showing evidence of direct and indirect services to students, program planning and improved student outcomes in the school counseling program.

RAMP is a voluntary process that is similar to National Board Certification by the National Board of Professional Teaching Standards.

FSPS’ Comprehensive Counseling Top 2 Percent

Dr. Michael Farrell, Executive Director of Student Services, with Cherri Byford, Jane Stewart and all FSPS counselors, developed and completed a comprehensive school counseling program for the district that was then evaluated by the state. Fort Smith Public Schools’ program received a designation of “well developed.” Only 2 percent of the state’s school counseling programs received this ranking.

by Rachel Stubblefield

Certified Salary Base Increased to $44,000

e Board of Education approved a Financial Services recommendation to restructure the salary schedule for certified employees beginning in 2022-2023. e restructure removed inequities and mathematical issues embedded in the previous structure that has limited the District’s ability to increase the base salary of certified staff.

Using fixed years-of-service “Step” increases and fixed increases for higher education attainment, the restructure and increase in pay for all teachers is estimated to cost the District approximately $4.6 million that is funded by local and state revenue growth and targeted debt service cash flow management.

e certified base salary increased from $38,500 to $44,000. is increase of 14.29% is expected to move the District from 49th place in the state to 8th place. An additional “Step 22” was added with a commitment to research ways to add “Steps” in the years to come.

Charles Warren, CFO, told the school board, “Utilizing all new revenue sources, the restructured Certified Salary Schedule makes an innovative impact to recruiting

by closing the significant gap of the District’s new teacher pay while maintaining a competitive edge for our experienced teachers in the River Valley.”

Payroll

Financing Our Culture of Excellence

Chief Financial Officer Charles Warren oversees the District ’s financial services including:

Payroll

Providing excellent customer ser vice for the FSPS family is among their primar y goals Angie Davis, Director of Financial Ser vices and payroll team leader notes, “ We are there when you first come to the district and when you are contemplating retirement We continue to work hard to make sure your pay and benefits are correct in the years between.”

Purchasing

e mission of the Purchasing Department for FSPS is to provide the timely deliver y of high quality goods and ser vices following fiscally responsible procurement practices and policy Craig Tecmire, Super visor of Purchasing, states, “Purchasing directly enriches our schools for student success. From keeping our copiers in ser vice, deliveries buzzing, and paper work flowing, the purchasing department is a leverage multiplier for our district ”

Business

e Business Office sends money out and records money coming in We balance the books We set up accounting procedures and processes to protect the integrity of our financial records. Br yan Hewitt, Super visor of Accounting, oversees the FSPS budget and works diligently to keep the books in compliance with state and federal regulations.

“Because our accounting systems are built on a foundation of strong internal controls, oversight, and principles, I don’t fear the term creative accounting. Creativity is needed to maximize the financial efficiency and effectiveness of the local, state and federal funds we work with ever y day Good financial stewardship supports staff and student success. ” Charles Warren, CFO

School

Fort Smith Public

members

B

R

FSPS Board Meetings

Sandy DixonDavin Chitwood

Matt Blaylock

Phil Whiteaker

Dee Blackwell President

Talicia Richardson Vice President

Dalton Person Secretary

METHOD

Preheat oven to 350º. Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with nonstick spray. Add bread pieces to the baking dish. In a large bowl, combine heavy cream, half and half, pumpkin, melted butter, eggs, vanilla, sugar, and pumpkin pie spice. Pour batter over the bread pieces, making sure to cover them all. Bake for about an hour.

Prepare the praline sauce

combining butter, heavy cream,

brown sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Let boil then reduce heat to low and stir in pecans. Let simmer until it thickens, about 5 minutes.

bread pudding is removed from the oven, let cool slightly then

praline sauce over the top and serve. Garnish with whipped cream and additional nuts if desired.

RECIPE adapated bostongirlbakes.com image istetiana/Shutterstock

Christmas Tree Lane

As magical as they may be , all decked out in lights that give the world a soft glow, the holidays are here and gone again in the blink of an eye, too quick to come and too swiftly over. That enchantment is something we wish we could hold onto, but for most of us, the Christmas season is just that— a season.

Standing on the ten acres of land where Jim and Karen Lane live, it’s obvious that Christmas influences much more than just one month of the year. The air is thick with it: the smell of 6,000 fresh evergreens, all waiting for their turn to become the centerpiece of someone’s holiday. But this land that now hosts so many Christmas trees wasn’t always so filled with Yuletide spirit. It took inspiration, time and a family filled with love.

words Liesel Schmidt IMAGEs courtesy Jim and Karen Lane

Thirty-two years ago, when the Lanes had the initial idea of turning their property into a Christmas tree farm, their four children were still kids. They’d seen what a working Christmas tree farm was like when they visited a farm in Dover, Arkansas just two years prior. And, so, with seven acres of land next to their home at their disposal, they planted 500 Virginia pine trees and hoped that their vision for Christmas Tree Lane would be realized. But why Christmas trees?

For the Lanes, the answer was simple. “We both love Christmas,” says Jim. “Coming from a Christian background, our hope was to share the Christmas message of Jesus’ birth to our visitors. We also had a desire to raise our children with a strong work ethic, and we thought a Christmas tree farm would be a great way to instill the value of hard work while teaching business skills and reaping rewards.”

And while they may have had ample fertile ground available, it wasn’t a simple thing to start the business. It took time and patience, not to mention a great deal of faith that all their hard work wouldn’t be for naught. “Growing Christmas trees is a slow process,” Jim admits. “It takes about five years before you have a marketable tree, so there’s a lot of upfront investment, both in time and money, before you see any profit.”

The Lanes’ investment proved worth it, taking root and thriving over the years so that they created not only a Christmas tree farm, but an entire experience. More than three decades in, their plot of land has increased in size by three acres and thousands of trees, perfectly situated along Highway 23 south of Ozark. On these ten acres, Christmas is in every breath you take—and everywhere you look.

Each year, from November through December, the Lanes host countless visitors to their farm, families and individuals all in search of their perfect tree—and, of course, a little bit of Christmas magic. “We like to add amenities to the farm each year,” says Jim. “This year, we’ve added a Cocoa Shack and some new photo prop areas for people to come and take selfies or group pictures.

"A Christmas tree farm business is more about the experience than the purchase of a tree. We recognize that and do our best to entertain our guests while they are with us. We have a full gift shop with specialty ornaments, homemade items from local vendors, our own hot chocolate blend that is amazing, a live snowman, hayrides, lots of photo opportunities, and a free family photo with a tree purchase! We even have an area where people can just sit and play a game of checkers while watching the movie Elf

"We also offer school field trips that are ‘funner than Disney World,’ according to an eight-year-old kid named Ryan who came here once with his school. As we think ahead to the future and the legacy we want to continue, we’ve been expanding our farm for the last few years and are exploring the idea of a year-round Christmas store or building a venue for weddings or get-togethers that will host visitors throughout the year.”

Clearly, the Lanes realize both the worth of what they have as well as its potential to become even more. They’ve created something incredibly special, an atmosphere and a feeling that people want to immerse themselves in—and, as guests in the Lanes’ Christmas cabin, one they can actually stay in.

Boasting three bedrooms and two baths, the spacious log cabin is available as an Airbnb listing throughout the year except during the Christmas season, when the Lanes utilize it themselves. Of course, it’s the setting that makes it such a unique destination. Nestled amidst the thousands of trees on the farm, the cabin is the epitome of rusticity, with a charming mixture of rusty metal and barnwood. And, as one would expect from any true Christmas cabin, a plethora of wintery things deck the halls – everything from sleds and ice skates to fairy lights draped from the vaulted ceiling.

All of it combines to create the perfect setting for such a magical season, but business doesn’t happen by magic. Naturally, there have been hurdles to clear in the Lanes’ thirty plus years of operation. “We’re at the mercy of nature, so we’ve had some unique challenges at our Christmas tree farm,” says Jim. “In 2011, we had an EF4 tornado tear through the middle of our farm. It took many years to recover. At any time, we could be facing drought, disease, or bugs. They’re all normal battles we fight.”

After so many years of living and breathing Christmas, one can only wonder if the luster has worn off or the magic has dulled. But the Lanes are every bit as enchanted by the season as they were in the beginning—perhaps even more so. “Every year, we fall deeper in love with Christmas and all that it represents,” says Jim. “How could you not love a day that celebrates the birth of our Savior? It’s incredible

to have a business that is focused on that, and we so enjoy the feeling it instills in people. There is a joy in their spirit during the Christmas season that is so welcoming at our farm. Everyone is happy and excited.”

Naturally, the three weekends after Thanksgiving are the busiest for the Lanes, with Saturdays and Sundays being the busiest days of the week. And while the steady stream of people may make things a bit hectic, Jim and Karen try to visit with each guest who comes to the farm. “That can be quite a chore when we’re busy, but we believe that personal touch is meaningful,” Jim notes. “We also love kiddos and try to make their time with us magical. And, of course, we’ve taken pictures of all our guests since 1994. Seeing and visiting with them is very special to us, because we feel like we’ve become part of their family tradition.”

Family tradition is where it all started with the Lanes, and now their family has grown both older and larger—much like the farm. As the years go by, Jim and Karen can look at what they have created and know that they’ve given their family everything they hoped to give, and given the gift of magic to so many others.

Christmas Tree Lane 8102 S. Hwy. 23, Ozark, Arkansas

Visit christmastreelane.info or call 479.667.8412.

Jim and Karen Lane

The River Valley is home to many nonprofit organizations doing incredible work with limited resources. Our 4th annual Guide to Local Nonprofits serves to further each of their missions and allows you to discover how you can get involved and commit your support to the organizations near and dear to your heart.

5401 Rogers Avenue, Ste. 204 Fort Smith, Arkansas 479.927.1402

Arkansas Single Parent Scholarship Fund, or ASPSF, introduces low-income single parents to the transformative power of education. By providing financial support, mentoring, and career coaching, the organization helps single parent scholars pursue higher education and kickoff professional careers. The result? Sustainable employment with family-supporting wages. And that’s not all! ASPSF empowers single parents to provide a better life for their children and inspire their children to seek higher education themselves. ASPSF’s investment in its students not only strengthens communities with viable economic impact, but it also emboldens families to imagine a brighter future. Give or volunteer today at aspsf.org!

PO BOX 11967

Fort Smith, Arkansas contact@billneumeierfoundation.com

The Bill Neumeier Foundation for Suicide Awareness was founded in remembrance of William “Bill” August Neumeier, Jr. Our mission is to provide monetary contributions to local suicide awareness and intervention organizations in the Fort Smith community that are dedicated to improving suicide awareness, intervention and improved mental health. Bill Neumeier, Jr. was born Dec. 7, 1963, in Fort Smith to William “Bill” and Jo Ann “Jody” Neumeier. He was a member of St. Boniface Catholic Church. After graduating from Subiaco Academy in 1982, Bill attended College of the Ozarks. He was the owner and operator of Neumeier’s Rib Room and Papa’s Pub and Pizzeria and was a passionate supporter and organizer of the Riverfront Blue’s Festival and Peacemaker Festival. Bill was a huge supporter of the revitalization of downtown Fort Smith, Arkansas.

James Maginot, Assistant Executive Director

479.222.7155

Bost has evolved tremendously since the original Bost School’s purpose of providing education to school age children, to our current multitude of services and programs for individuals of all ages with a wide range of disabilities and mental health needs across the state of Arkansas. From getting children ready for school, to assisting adults with becoming more independent, Bost grows with those we serve to provide a lifetime of care while fostering independence, no matter the level of disability. Employment opportunities are available at www.bost.org/careers. #iambost #wearebost

366 North Broadway, # 22 Booneville, Arkansas 479.675.2641

casaofthetripeaks.org

Have a heart for foster children, but unsure how you can help? Consider becoming a CASA volunteer to help abused and neglected children navigate the often scary and intimidating foster care system. CASA volunteers are trained and appointed by a judge to advocate for the best interests of foster children. Volunteers help judges develop a fuller picture of each child’s life. Their advocacy enables judges to make the most well-informed decision for each child. While this might seem daunting at first, CASA staff are there to support volunteers along the way. You can even volunteer with a friend or partner to work together with a foster child! Reach out today to learn more!

for the 14th Annual Christmas Honors event to honor our veterans and their families! On Friday, December 2nd beginning at 9am, volunteers will work to prepare the 16,000 wreaths at the Convention Center. No sign up required –just come and help! Then join the community on Saturday, December 3rd for the honor ceremony and the laying of the wreaths at the Fort Smith National Cemetery. Every veteran’s headstone will be honored by laying a green wreath with a bright red bow for remembrance of their service and sacrifice. Let us never forget them. For more information visit ChristmasHonors.org or at Facebook @ChristmasHonors.

Community Rescue Mission, a faith-based, Christian organization, has served the homeless community for over 40 years. While families live with us in our transitional program, we provide for all their basic needs and help them find employment or return to school, encourage them to attend counseling and support groups, provide parenting classes, financial literacy classes, nutrition classes, job skills, recovery resources and peer support. We instill hope and empower the lives of families and children in crisis due to homelessness

providing safe shelter, meals, case management, and spiritual enrichment to prepare families to acquire jobs and live successful, independent, productive lives.

Regional Office: 1606 South J Street

Fort Smith, Arkansas

Regional Phone: 479.785.4031

cjsinc.org

Our mission is to serve the needs of youth and their families by providing community-based intervention and advocacy services to reduce family conflict, promote family reunification, prevent juvenile delinquency and entry or further advancement into the juvenile justice system. We seek to redirect the lives of youth and families, empowering youth to become successful and productive adults. Referrals come from the court system, law enforcement agencies, school personnel, health care agencies, churches, family members or by youth in person. Licensed by the Arkansas Department of Human Services as a licensed Child Placement Agency and as a licensed Emergency Residential Child Care Facility, we proudly serve Sebastian, Crawford, Logan, Polk, Scott, and Montgomery Counties.

401 North 6th Street, Fort Smith, Arkansas 479.783.2966

Facebook or fslt.org

Come downtown for year-round entertainment featuring comedies to dramas and musicals to mysteries. The Fort Smith Little Theatre’s casual, comfortable setting is perfect for date night, a matinee with mom, or a girls’ night out. Looking for friendship and a chance to learn new skills? Join the fun as a volunteer. Building sets, ushering, making coffee, acting — there are plenty of jobs to do and friends to be made at FSLT, your all-volunteer community theatre since 1947. And remember, a 2023 Season Package would make a great Christmas gift. Learn more at fslt.org or find us on Facebook. Next up: Coffee Shop, Nov. 10-19.

2713 S. 74th Street, Suite 203 Fort Smith, Arkansas 479.783.1002

hamiltoncca.org

Child abuse. The words alone are hard to hear. And when a child has been abused, it is even harder to know where to turn for help, guidance, and understanding. The Hamilton Center for Child Advocacy has the experience to help families navigate a complex system while staying focused on what matters most: child safety and well-being. Our team of dedicated professionals are here to pave the way to health, safety, and healing for victims of abuse and their non-offending family members. Our services include advocacy, forensic interviews, sexual assault medical exams, mental health therapy and prevention education. If you suspect child abuse, do not hesitate to call 1-800-SAVE A CHILD. Be the voice.

417 South 16th Street, Fort Smith, Arkansas 479.452.2260

hearttoheartpfcc.org

Heart to Heart Pregnancy and Family Care Center has been serving the River Valley and surrounding areas for 36 years. We proudly serve women, men, and families with children up to the age of three. We provide families with much needed free monthly supplies such as: diapers, wipes, formula, clothing and so much more. We gratefully accept gently used and new clothing, shoes, blankets, etc. We are also thankful for the faithful, financial support of our donors. If you are interested in connecting with Heart to Heart as a client, volunteer, or supporter, please reach out to us at 479-4522260. Together with our great community, we are making a difference, one heartbeat at a time.

Manes & Miracles offers equine-assisted therapy to children with special needs. Our vision is to expand services to Veterans. With the help of a horse and certified physical, occupational and speech therapists, we provide a unique treatment tool called hippotherapy. Mother, Lawanda, reports her daughter Angel couldn’t even hold her head up when she started, now she is walking hundreds of steps in a gait trainer. As a nonprofit, we rely heavily on the generosity of caring individuals and organizations. Donations provide care for therapy horses and help local children receive services.

Facebook fundraiser is November 29 and please remember us for year-end giving. Donations are tax deductible. Thank you for your kind heart.

Optimist International is a worldwide volunteer organization of more than 2,500 local clubs whose members work to make the future brighter for local children. Our purpose is to develop optimism as a philosophy of life utilizing the tenets of the Optimist Creed. Historically, we have supported our local Boys & Girls Clubs, Children's Shelter, Girl's and Boy’s Shelters, the Optimist Essay and Oratorical Scholarship Contests, Optimist Hearing Foundation, and Reynolds Cancer Support House. We invite you to join our club! If you want to make a difference in the lives of community youth, the Optimist Club of Fort Smith is for you. Our club meets Wednesdays at noon at Golden Corral, 1801 South Waldron Road.

1205 South Albert Pike, Fort Smith, Arkansas 479.783.2273

projectcompassioninc.com

We are a Fort Smith-based nonprofit founded in 1972 by the late Gloria White. Her mission to bring joy, companionship, and enhanced quality of life to nursing home residents remains our focus. 2022 is our 50th year of service! We are a United Way of Fort Smith agency serving twenty-six long-term care and senior living facilities. We partner with businesses, schools, churches, and civic organizations. Volunteers visit one-to-one with residents and form a bond of friendship. Year-round programs include recreational music, dance, pet therapy, fidget blankets, calls, and cards. Hearts of Gold provides Christmas gifts of clothing to residents without friends/family visitors. Visit our website to donate, volunteer, and get connected!

3324 South M Street, Fort Smith, Arkansas 479.782.6302 / 800.262.9917 reynoldscancersupporthouse.org

In 1978, the Cancer Support Foundation was organized to provide non-medical services, counseling, transportation, and support for cancer patients and their families. We offer an array of programs and services including wigs, hats, turbans, and other hair loss needs, post mastectomy supplies, transportation assistance to and from treatment, emotional support groups led by licensed facilitators, nutritional supplements, nutrition classes, education sessions and cancer screenings, medical equipment and supplies, low-impact fitness classes, emergency financial prescription assistance, one-on-one patient navigation, and so much more!

5521 Ellsworth Road, Fort Smith, Arkansas

1333 Arapaho Avenue, Suite A Springdale, Arkansas

Ronald McDonald House Charities of Arkoma aims to support the health and well-being of children and families in Western Arkansas and Eastern Oklahoma. At RMHC, it is our goal to create programs that provide a home away from home for families with children in the hospital. We aim to keep families comfortable by providing everything they would need at their own house - meals, shampoo, laundry detergent, snacks, hygiene products, and more. Help RMHC lift burdens off families in a vulnerable time by donating items that keep families close. To see our current needs, visit rmhcofarkoma. org/get-involved/wish-list.

The CALL partners with local families who are interested in foster care or adoption to walk them through the process of opening their home. With over 540 children and youth in foster care in Crawford and Sebastian Counties, we continue to see some of the highest numbers of kids in care in the state. Since our founding in 2007, we have opened over 3,320 foster and adoptive families which make up 67% of the traditional (non-relative) foster homes statewide. We also partner with those who would like to volunteer their time and talents and we are completely funded through donations. If you are ready to Seek, Serve or Support local families and children, email Emily Treadaway, County Coordinator, at etreadaway@thecallinarkansas.org.

3304 South M Street, Fort Smith, Arkansas

kistlercenter.org

The founding of The Gregory Kistler Treatment Center was based on integrity and generosity – the dream of a housewife and fireman. What was born out of one family’s need, 44 years ago, has grown to become a respected outpatient treatment center known throughout the region. The Kistler Center offers occupational, physical, speech-language, and aquatic therapy to children. It is a certified provider for the Autism Waiver program for children 18 months to 5 years, an EPSDT autism provider, and is a certified provider for children and adults in the Community Employment Support Waiver program. From out-patient therapy services to in-home waiver services, the Kistler Center is here for you. Your journey is our journey.

unitedwayfortsmith.org

United Way of Fort Smith Area has provided change in our area since 1928. We mobilize our community in ways that no single agency, individual, or government can, to enhance the ability of people to care for one another. We address the needs of those who live in our region by bringing the community together to address critical issues. We invest in programs that provide the education, childcare, shelter, and food that people need to be successful and encourage people to contribute money and time to improve the communities we serve. A local volunteer board of directors governs United Way of Fort Smith Area, with decisions made locally. We are independent of all other United Ways.